Somewhere Along the Way
by ncislove
Summary: Gibbs/Abby/Tony - Friendship/Romance/Hurt/Comfort - somewhat a collection of episode tags, taking the three from season 1-9, eventually 10 and beyond... See inside for more info. So yes, it will be G/A/T romance.
1. Chapter 1

So I don't want to tag EVERY episode individually, but I wanted to write a G/A/T fic that sorta deals with their relationship through all the seasons. It starts out as just friends, and then I plan to weave it through all the major events (and some minor stuff too). I've got it rated 'T' for now – because it'll mostly be around that level. Each chapter where the rating is higher, there will be a warning.

So… as long as NCIS is going, this will kinda be never-ending. No regular posting schedule (I am 22,000 words into it though. And I won't specify which eps are tagged/not tagged – and like this chapter, two episodes might be smooshed together.

I hope you enjoy!

*side note – totally looking for some good/deep Gibbs/Abby fic ideas if you've anything you'd like to share*

* * *

"So wait, did you hire her or not?" Abby eyed Gibbs curiously as she pulled a long sip from her beer.

"Good question, boss, did you?" Tony pulled the bowl of pretzels closer and nibbled on one. He was equally attracted and annoyed by Kate, but he appreciated the fact that she wasn't a push-over.

Gibbs shrugged. "We'll see if she shows up on Monday or not."

"I hope so," Abby bounced happily in her seat. "I need someone to balance out all your manly-man testosterone."

Gibbs tried a glare, but glanced away when all it did was make Abby smile.

"What? I liked her."

"You hardly talked to her, how can you be best friends already?" Tony asked.

"We're not, but she seems like a good person. We can never have too many good people at NCIS, right? But anyway, tell me more about Air Force One? Let me see those pics again, Tony."

"Pics…?" Gibbs glanced at Tony, his eyebrows raised.

"Uhhh," Tony stuttered, "Ducky and I just wanted to… you know, remember the experience…" he shot a glare at Abby. "We only took one picture each, honest boss. Then we got our work done. Plus, I mean… you did send me in a body bag with the FBI, you can't possibly be upset that Ducky took a pic of me at the President's desk."

Gibbs fought a smirk. He'd gotten hell from Tobias when they had discovered Gibbs hadn't given them the body, but Tony instead. "Fair enough."

Tony breathed a deep sigh of relief and dug out his cellphone and handed it to Abby. He preened as she squealed and told him how handsome and professional he looked. _Very official_.

Gibbs drained the last of his beer and stood. "Alright, time to get going. Either of you need a ride home?"

"Nah, I caught a ride with Abby from the navy yard, she's headed back that way and can drop me off so I can grab my car."

Gibbs nodded and pushed a few extra dollars toward the bartender. "Don't be late tomorrow," he said gruffly.

Abby and Tony waited until they saw his truck pull out of the parking lot before ordering another beer. "So, who you think the mystery redhead was that picked him up the other night?"

Tony shrugged. "I dunno, getting that man to talk about his personal life is like…"

"Like getting you to shut up?"

"Ha, funny."

"Only kinda kidding, Tony, but good for him if he's found someone to go home to at night. We all need a little love and his last divorce… I think it really set him back, you know?"

"I don't think he's going home to her – he wouldn't have been out for a beer with us. Can't see him picking a shady place like this over her soft curves."

"Tony!" Abby smacked his shoulder. "This place isn't shady, just because you aren't seated by someone in an over-priced suit like yours…"

"This is worth every penny," he grinned.

"Right…" Abby downed the last of her beer. "Come on, Gibbs was right. It's past your bedtime."

"Funny."

They paid their tab and Tony followed Abby out to her car. They weren't far from NCIS, but Tony was glad for the ride back to the navy yard. Abby always had fun stories to share (that were much more relevant to his college frat-boy days compared to Ducky's stories) and it was nice to be around a woman that he didn't feel like he needed to impress with everything he said and did. "Thanks for the ride, have a good night."

"Oh I will, I guess there is a party down at Trinity tonight, I think I'll check it out."

"You planning on sleeping at all?"

"Sure, while I wait for you guys to actually give me something to work on tomorrow. Bye Tony!" With a wink and a wave, Abby was gone.

* * *

The following weekend, Tony was looking forward to his usual after-work drink with Abby. There weren't many people he could discuss the stresses of work with besides the people he actually worked with. Most of the women he dated didn't want to hear the gory details of the latest victim they had dealt with. And while he didn't _like _talking about it, sometimes he just needed to go over things to be able to put it to rest.

"Hey Abbs, we still…" he trailed off as Abby pulled Kate by the hand as she past his desk.

"Sorry, can't tonight… I've convinced Kate to check out the new club downtown."

"The one where-"

"Tony!" Abby cut him off. "Let it be a surprise…"

"Wait, what kinda club are you taking me to?" Kate pulled away from Abby and turned to Tony.

"Just a regular night club," he smiled sweetly. "Honest. I'll call you this weekend, Abby." He swung his bag over his shoulder and headed toward the elevator.

"Hope you like chains." Gibbs strolled around the corner, coffee in hand, and then took the stairs up toward the director's office.

"Wait, what…" Kate started to panic. "Abby, tell me he was kidding… please… Abby!"

Gibbs watched as Abby tugged a reluctant Kate toward the elevator. Despite Abby's interesting appearances, she was pretty relaxed when she went out, and wasn't a devil worshipper like everyone assumed. But there was something about Kate that made it so easy to tease her, and knowing her religious upbringing, the ideas of whips and chains was something that would put her over the edge. Just before the elevator closed, Abby glanced up at him with a saucy grin. With a little extra bounce in his step, he turned toward the director's office.

* * *

"You should've seen him in the basement yesterday." Tony sauntered into her lab and hopped up onto a clear spot on her evidence table.

"The basement? You hanging out at Gibbs'?"

"Ha, no. I tried calling him when the parachute-man took a nose-dive through the roof of that car. I don't think things with that red-head are going too well. His cell was in a jar full of… booze, most likely and he had ripped the landline out of the wall."

Abby's eyes went wide. "Did he say anything?"

"What do you think?"

"Yeah, okay… If he gives you the phone to _reboot_, if you bring it to me, I can maybe get a name and number from the chip."

"A name and number for what…?" Gibbs strolled into the lab with purpose and set a Caf-Pow! on the desk for Abby.

"Name and number for the maker of Caf-Pow! so I can get a machine in here for instant refills."

Gibbs regretted telling her the rule _always be specific when you lie_. "You don't appreciate my deliveries?"

"Oh, but I do," Abby grinned. "But if I had a machine down here, you wouldn't have to spend time going to get my drink, you could spend it down in the lab with me instead."

"Uh huh. What've you got?"

"Cocaine," she said, "found traces on the sabotaged shroud lines."

Gibbs nodded. "If I had to pick anyone to lie for me, it'd be you, Abbs." He leaned in with a kiss to her cheek and was gone.

Tony waited until he was sure Gibbs was gone. "He knows we were talking about him."

"Nah, he knows _you_ were talking about him, just thinks I was lying to cover for you."

"It really isn't fair that you're the favorite," Tony complained. "It really isn't."

"Perfectly fair to me." Abby gave a wide grin.

* * *

"Oh Tony…" Abby welcomed him into a hug. "Gibbs told me you got pushed out of the plane. "Are you okay? You need some ice?" She pulled away and motioned toward her groin. "I heard things were a bit… um… tight."

Tony grabbed her hands before she could get too close. "I'll be okay. And what, did Gibbs call you to laugh about my misfortune?"

"Call to laugh? No. He was worried when you got pushed out, relieved that you're okay."

"He was laughing at me when I walked away…"

"Because now that you're safe… it's a little funny, you have to admit. But do you need ice? Should Ducky take a look?"

"I don't need ice, and I don't need Ducky. I'll be fine. The reason I came down… you think Gibbs' will be okay? I mean, he let it slip that today is his anniversary with ex-wife number three. Guess that's why the phone was pulled off the wall."

Abby frowned. "He's sad about it, or she won't leave him alone."

"He didn't look very sad," Tony shrugged. "My guess is that she starts hitting the wine, can't get over whatever it was that he did- ouch!" He rubbed the spot on his shoulder where she had punched him

"Tony!" Abby glared, "why do you assume _he_ did something wrong. He's just misunderstood, I think that if his ex's saw the real him, they'd never let him go." She knew she wasn't like most people, in that she saw the good in everyone, but she just didn't understand how Gibbs wasn't a keeper. He was always doing nice things for her, and while he was a little gruff, he had to be with the job that he had. It wasn't easy to stare at death every day.

"Maybe that's the problem. He's not home long enough for them to get to know him. Does he even go home at night?"

"The boat…"

"Yeah, okay. The man needs a vacation. And so do I," Tony pouted. "I should get hazard pay if I'm going to be pushed out of airplanes."

Abby laughed and patted his shoulder as she moved past him. "I can't offer a vacation, but I can buy you a beer."

"I'll take what I can get. You ready?"

"All yours."

* * *

TBC…


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry about the delay! I have a ton already written for this, but it's for later seasons. Life has been really, really busy (and another fic took over, oops). Anyway, hope you all will stick with it. And _omg_ the bunnies after last nights new episode!

* * *

"You didn't…" Abby held up the tiny bikini bottoms and the matching hat that Tony had brought back for Kate from Puerto Rico.

"You should've seen her face, in fact, I regret not calling you up before giving them to her."

"What'd she do?"

"Gibbs asked if she was going to try it on for us, so she threw them at him and told him to wear it. She called us pigs and stormed out. It was pretty funny, actually. I did bring her back a book though; I put it on her desk. She'll find it in the morning, but this… too funny."

"Wish I could have seen it, so… what'd you bring me?" Abby smiled sweetly.

"Oh, should I have brought something back for-"

"It's in his left pocket." Gibbs pulled out a chair and joined them at their table. It was the same little table, at the same dark bar where they always met. It wasn't far from NCIS and when the weather was decent, it was a refreshing walk and most evenings they left their cars at work to walk over. They knew the bartenders by name, and more often than not, they had their drinks ready before they made it up to the counter.

"Oh come on, boss… I was gonna make her work for it. Have her try on the bikini bottoms or something," Tony grumbled as he pulled a beautiful silver bracelet from his pocket. It was simple, yet elegant and she had come to mind instantly when he had seen it. "Thought you would like this."

"Oh Tony, it's beautiful!" She worked her cuff off and held out her arm so Tony could fasten it for her. "Doesn't it look amazing?" Abby held out her wrist and tilted it in the light. "I love it, thank you."

Gibbs rolled his eyes but couldn't help but appreciate the wide smile on Abby's face. Everyone at NCIS worked hard to keep that smile on her face – it was well known throughout the building that if Abby wasn't happy, Gibbs wasn't happy. And if Gibbs wasn't happy, no one was. Even the director had a healthy respect for keeping Abby happy. He happily chose to ignore her wild outfits, her loud music and her interesting sense of decoration, because her work ethic and speedy results made her one of the best in the country. He knew there would one day come a time where they couldn't afford what she was really worth, but he hoped that allowing her freedoms in almost everything she did would keep her around longer.

They didn't spend long at the bar, the busy travel schedule meant that both men were fighting yawns. "We should probably get going, would be embarrassing if the two of you fell asleep at the bar."

They all stood to gather their belongings and together they walked back to NCIS. They were all about to go their separate ways when Abby tugged the tiny bikini bottoms from Tony's hand. "You know, I think I'll take these too. Night boys!" She was in her car before they could speak.

"Think she'll wear those to work tomorrow?" He could only imagine her long pale legs accentuated by the bright yellow bottoms.

He took the headslap like a man, but he was fairly certain he could tell that Gibbs was imagining the same thing.

* * *

"I wish I was going, I miss Stan and I didn't even get to throw him a going away party," Abby pouted.

"Yes, he did leave in quite a hurry," Ducky agreed.

"Who's Stan?" Kate asked.

"Some guy who worked with Gibbs before me," Tony was quick to jump in. "Guess he was sent out to the carrier," he shrugged.

"He sounds like a nice guy," Kate knew that Abby liked almost everyone, but the happy smile on her face as she recalled the last time she had seen him told her that Stan was a good guy.

"He can't be that great, the boss didn't keep him." Tony glanced at Abby with a scowl and tried not to wonder if she'd rather have Stan around instead of him.

"You're jealous!" Kate laughed, "of a guy that hasn't been around in a few years. Get over yourself!"

"Am not."

"Here," Abby hopped off Gibbs desk and handed Kate an envelope. "Will you give this to Stan for me when you meet him? I'd have Gibbs do it, but he'd forget."

"Forget what?" Gibbs rounded the corner, coffee in hand.

"To give my letter to Stan."

"Sendin' love letters, Abbs? I don't work for the post office."

"I know that, and it's not a love letter. It's just a little info on what's been going on around here. I'm sure he misses working at NCIS. Must get pretty boring on a boat."

"Ship."

Abby ignored him and turned back to Kate. "So can you?"

"Of course," Kate smiled warmly.

"And here," Ducky added, holding out a cricket ball, "give this to him as well. One of the few sports he does not play. He'll get the meaning."

"_Oh Stan, we all love you Stan, hey everyone… Stan is perfect," _Tony mumbled under his breath. "Come on, the guy can't be _that_ great."

"Gear up, flight's waiting." Gibbs placed the phone back in the receiver, hoisted his bag over his shoulder and headed for the elevator, Kate right behind him with Tony hurrying to catch up.

* * *

The whole time they were on the _Enterprise_, Tony watched with tortured curiosity every interaction between Stan and Gibbs. He compared the way Gibbs teased him to the way he teased Stan, the way he looked at him… everything he stored away so that he could think it through thoroughly. By the time they were done, Tony noticed that even Kate had a bit of a dreamy look when she said goodbye.

"Oh, and before I forget, Ducky wanted me to give you this," she held out a cricket ball, "and Abby sent this," she handed over the letter.

"Tell Ducky thank you, and Abby…" he turned the letter over in his hands a few times. "Give her a kiss for me, would ya boss?"

Gibbs grinned and nodded. "I'll see what I can do." He held out his hand and shook Stan's.

Kate laughed and took her turn to shake his hand as Gibbs walked away. Tony rolled his eyes, stopping himself just short of commenting on everything.

"You know, I don't think Gibbs has ever shaken my hand," it was more of a comment to himself, but Stan smiled. "Was two years before Gibbs looked me in the eye, three before he called me by name and four before he got my name right. He must really like you to already be calling you by the _right_ name."

Tony smiled big at that, "really?"

"Yeah, really." Stan nodded over to where Gibbs and Kate were waiting impatiently for Tony to join them. "Better get going, and be sure to tell Abby thanks for the letter. Keep an eye on her for me, would ya?"

"Of course," Tony patted him on the shoulder and jogged over to where Gibbs and Kate were waiting.

* * *

Abby was bouncing with excitement when they arrived back at the office, wrapping them each up in a hug, and a million questions all jumbled into one.

Gibbs wrapped his arm around her middle and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "That's from Stan."

"Thanks bossman."

Tony watched as a dreamy look crossed her face. After what Stan had said about Gibbs, Tony felt secure that Gibbs didn't wish he had Stan on his team instead of himself, but seeing Abby swoon over the guy was just as unsettling. He moved to his desk and tidied everything up, ready to go home and spend the evening relaxing. "_Oh Stan, everyone loves Stan_." Tony muttered to himself.

"Uh oh, is Tony's ego a little fragile?" Apparently Kate had heard him and was taking a stab.

Tony rolled his eyes a smiled big. "Come on, don't you have a kiss for Abby too? He asked me to make sure you gave it to her. Right on the lips."

Kate scoffed at his suggestion. "You just want to see Abby and I kiss."

"Enough with the kissy face," Gibbs grabbed a few things off his desk and headed for the elevator, he had a date and she was due to pick him up out front in just a few minutes. "Go home."

They all watched Gibbs leave and then faced each other. "That red head picking him up again?"

We really need to get an I.D. on this woman," Tony said. "I mean, we're just doing our job to make sure that she is who she says she is."

Kate laughed. "You don't think Gibbs has already run a search on her?"

"Nah," Tony shook his head. "He only ever does that when Abby dates someone new."

"Does not," waived off their comment. "Wait, he doesn't does he?"

Tony and Kate smiled at each other and turned to their desks.

"Wait, does he really?"

"Nah, we're just teasing," Tony lied. "But you know how protective he is of you."

"Yeah," Kate agreed. She slipped into her jacket and sat down to tidy up her work space.

Abby perched on Tony's desk as he grabbed what he needed. "Walk a girl to her car, Tony?"

"Of course, m'lady." Tony loaded his back pack and slung it over his shoulder and then offered his arm.

"You know, Stan and Gibbs would butt heads _all _the time when Stan worked here," Abby said once they were alone in the elevator. "He knew Stan was a good agent, but he had a different style that totally clashed with Gibbs'. So while they are friendly to each other now, total nightmare when they were at NCIS together."

"Really? Gibbs seemed so happy to work with him again."

Abby shrugged. "Stan was around for his last divorce and I think they bonded at a bar over that. Stan was divorced too, so… They compared notes. But Tony, Gibbs likes you. You wouldn't still be on his team if he didn't."

"He kept Stan on his team."

"Because the director told him he had too. Gibbs went through a bunch of people before Stan and the director put his foot down. Finally Stan asked to be transferred. Not just because of Gibbs, but it was part of the reason. Then Gibbs got you and… well, here we are." The elevator doors opened, and they stepped out to the parking lot. "And I wouldn't have it any other way. Neither would Gibbs." She pressed up on her toes and leaned in to kiss Tony's cheek. "See you tomorrow."

Tony drove home with his confidence restored. He felt better knowing that Gibbs had gone through several other agents, settled with Stan and then had kept him around seemingly by choice. They had their moments, mostly him deserving of a head-slap, but Gibbs had taken him under his wing more than once, shaping him into a confident, skilled agent. There were times where he needed a place to crash over-night, or sometimes just a warm meal after a difficult case. And despite sometimes feeling like he'd let his boss down, Gibbs never made him feel like he was useless or incompetent.

He smiled as he remembered Abby's words. _And I wouldn't have it any other way._ He wondered if she would send him letters if one day he ended up working somewhere else. He couldn't imagine wanting to leave, but with NCIS you never knew what might happen down the road. He could admit to himself that he was a little jealous of how everyone spoke highly of Stan, but with Abby's reassuring words, he would much rather be the one at NCIS with Gibbs, Abby and Kate rather than be the one stuck out on the open ocean – no matter _how_ many love letters he might receive.

He made a note to have flowers delivered to the lab the next morning. Just because.

* * *

TBC…


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

If someone had told Tony that Abby would agree to a date with a nerd like Timothy McGee, he would've laughed and started into a list of movies with a similar story line.

But then it happened.

Tony watched with utter horror as Abby slipped her arm through McGee's and walked with him toward the elevator. He glanced over at Gibbs who didn't seem to even notice, and then to Kate who looked almost smug, as if she had given McGee the last little piece of courage to ask Abby out.

He had been mulling it over for months – debating on asking Abby out. He knew he would have to take things slow, _very slow_, with how protective Gibbs was of her. They weren't co-workers in the sense that they were both agents so he was semi-certain that rule 12 didn't apply to them. Though he wasn't sure that Gibbs didn't have a different set of rules altogether when it came to Abby - so a slow approach was necessary. They already went out on occasion to one of her dance clubs or his trendy restaurants, he just needed to give it that little extra _something_ to let her know that he was…

Well, he wasn't sure what he was. He wasn't in love. He kept his heart much to guarded for that, but there was a fondness for her. The way she made him feel like he was the only one she wanted to see whenever he went to her lab. Tony frowned. Did everyone feel that way? Was he one of many who thought they were falling for their mistress of the dark lab? He glanced at Gibbs again, the man seemed lost in whatever file he was reading. He looked down at the various trinkets on his desk, several had been little gifts from Abby.

Just because.

Seeing her little gifts put the stirrings of butterflies in his stomach.

He had told McGee he didn't think they'd make a good match partly because he didn't even want the other man to try, but also because he honestly didn't think Abby would go for someone like McGee. He was hesitant, weary, and Tony was fairly certain Abby had bigger balls than McGee did.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs cut off his train of thought. "You look lost. Need me to give you something to do?"

Gibbs sounded irritated and that was never a good thing. "No boss, I'm good." He refocused on his computer screen and set out to finish his report. _But wait, had McGee really gotten a tattoo?_

* * *

Tony was surprised to see Gibbs alone at the bar later that night. He figured he'd be off with the red head of the month, and with Abby out with McGee, Tony thought it'd be a good night to loose himself in a few beers, cab it home and pass out on the couch. "Whatcha doin' here, boss?"

"Could ask you the same thing."

"Just wanted to grab a beer and order some nachos to go," Tony lied easily. "Shouldn't that pretty red head be parked out front of NCIS right about now?"

"No."

"Oh. You wanna talk about it?" Tony motioned for a beer and sat beside Gibbs at the bar. The look Gibbs gave him was enough of an answer and he grinned sheepishly. "No, I guess you wouldn't."

They were quiet for a while, sipping their beers, when Gibbs finally spoke. "Weren't you ordering nachos and going home?"

Tony was quiet a moment longer. "What do you know about this McGee kid?"

Gibbs drained the last of his beer and signaled for another one. "He's alright."

"Alright? What does that mean? So you're not worried that Abby's out with him?"

Gibbs chuckled softly and took a long sip from his new beer. "I'm more concerned for him than I am for her. She'll be alright."

"Yeah, of course she will. He's… whatever." Tony waved the bartender over and grabbed one of the menus. He ordered food to go and then sat drinking quietly beside Gibbs until his order was ready. "See ya tomorrow, boss."

Gibbs only nodded.

* * *

Tony blinked his eyes open, and scratched his chest. For a brief moment, he couldn't remember where he was, but the fact that it was early and already warm, reminded him that he was in Cuba with Kate and Gibbs. He glanced over to the empty spot on the bed, only to find that it wasn't so empty.

The blood curtailing scream he let out, coupled with the way he flew out of the bed, had him too out of breath to say much of anything when Kate and Gibbs pushed the door open, their guns drawn.

"A lizard, really?" Kate shook her head and then snorted when she realized that Tony was naked. "So gross."

He wasn't sure if Gibbs looked him over or not, but he felt his cheeks flush and he lifted the desk chair to cover himself. "Ugh, just wasn't expecting it, that's all."

"Need me to deal with it?" Gibbs asked dryly.

"No. No, I got it. I just… I need clothes first."

"Probably a good idea." Gibbs and Kate both left him alone, pulling the door closed behind them to give Tony some privacy and so the iguana didn't get further into the house.

"Not a word of this to _anyone_!" He was certain Kate was likely on the phone to Abby already.

* * *

It wasn't his first choice of vacation spots, but Cuba really wasn't that bad, Tony decided. He swirled his drink and smiled charmingly at Paula Cassidy. He was glad to be out at the bar (even if he was sober). He was there to investigate Paula, but he didn't have anyone breathing down his neck, he wasn't wired and Gibbs wasn't set to show up. He was miles away from Abby, and being in Cuba gave him the chance to just relax and be himself.

He knew Paula wasn't completely buying his charming façade, but she wasn't totally pushing him away. Even when she _was_ pushing him away, it was with a coy smile.

He felt bad about leading her on at first, but Paula was nice and the more they worked together, the more Tony looked forward to seeing her. Kate, of course, was certain he was just looking to get laid, but Tony appreciated Paula's brains. She was the first woman he could really sit and talk about the job with compared to the other women he had been seeing on occasion. Sitting with her on the flight back to D.C. Tony wondered if things were finally headed in the right direction for him. He had a job that he enjoyed, a decent apartment that felt almost like a real home, and maybe this thing with Paula…

"You guys!" Abby was bouncing on her toes as they all stepped out of the elevator. She reached Gibbs first since he had stepped out of the elevator before the doors were fully open. "So good to see you!"

"Good to see you too, Abbs." He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and half hugged her before pawning her off on Kate so he could get to his desk.

"We've got to do lunch tomorrow and catch up, okay?" Abby hugged Kate and then turned to grab Tony. "I'm so glad you're back!" She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. And just like that his idea that things were working for him seemed out of reach and all his thoughts, questions about Abby returned. "I heard about the Iguana in your bed, how scary!"

"Kate!"

"I didn't-" Kate shook her head.

"Oh Tony, you guys can't keep anything from me, you know that."

Tony glared at Kate who at least had the good grace to look caught off guard. "I don't take back going through your planner."

"Tony!"

Abby laughed and tossed a look over her shoulder at Gibbs. "It wasn't Kate that told me."

"Boss…" Of course they were ganging up on him, they always ganged up on him.

"I'd have screamed too, so don't worry about it." Abby slipped her arm around him and hugged him one more time. "Let's grab a beer this weekend and catch up! It's been a long few days without you. I mean, Ducky is great company, but… he doesn't do bars the way you do," she grinned.

* * *

Tony hated to be the one to call Abby when anyone was hurt, but he'd learned that she was much easier to deal with if she knew ahead of time that someone was hurt, rather than waiting until they returned to tell her. Down in Columbia, when they went in search of Jack Canton and to rescue Major Craig Peary, as soon as he knew Gibbs would be alright after the small explosion, he was mentally preparing himself to call Abby.

"But he'll be okay?"

"Yeah, he's-" Suddenly the phone was plucked from his hand and Tony spun around to face Gibbs.

"Yeah, Abbs. He's fine," Gibbs answered, gruffly. He knew why Tony called ahead, but at the same time he hated not being able to hug her – the fear in her voice was unsettling and he needed the hug as much as she did.

"Gibbs," she sighed, "did you find Major Peary? Is he okay too?"

"Yeah, we're on the first flight tomorrow. I'll come see you when I'm back. Get some rest, you've been working hard."

Their flight home from Columbia went slowly, but Tony was grateful for the chance to rest. Reluctantly, Gibbs handed him the keys and the four of them headed toward Major Peary's house to reunite him with his family.

Tony watched as Gibbs helped Major Peary out of his car and up the front step, despite his arm being in a sling. The reunion of Peary and his wife was touching, and he shared a glance with Kate, both of them struggling with the emotion of the situation. Deciding to lighten the mood, Tony leaned in to whisper, "how do you feel having shot the poor man's ear off?"

"What? It wasn't me, it was you. You're the one with horrible aim."

"Uh, no," Tony countered, turning away from the family scene in front of him to look at Kate. "I seem to remember your phone with a hole in the middle of it. My hat got caught in the breeze, right boss?" He tuned to ask Gibbs, but Gibbs was on the street in front of their car, smiling as a convertible pulled up. "Wait, where is he…?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Just take me to NCIS so I can get my car and go home."

* * *

Abby spun in a circle in Gibbs' chair. Their flight had landed two hours ago, that coupled with the amount of time needed to drop off Major Peary, traffic, distance… she figured the team should arrive in... The elevator dinged and she smiled smugly to herself, her calculations spot on. She stood as Tony then Kate stepped out of the elevator and then waited for Gibbs. "Where's…?"

"Some redhead picked him up when we dropped off Peary," Kate rolled her eyes, obviously ready to get away from anything having to do with work. And Tony.

"Oh." Abby frowned. "But he's okay, right?"

"He's fine," Kate assured her.

"Wanna grab a beer, Abby?" Tony dug around in his backpack to make sure he had everything, but was ready to go.

"Nah, not tonight," Abby shook her head. Gibbs had promised to come see her, so maybe he just had a quick drink and was planning on going to her apartment. Maybe he didn't realize she had planned on waiting at NCIS for him to get back. "But how about tomorrow after work?"

"Um yeah, okay." Tony could see she was upset about something, but wasn't quite sure what. It likely had to do with Gibbs, but he didn't want to dig too deep.

Abby picked up her bag and rode the elevator to the parking garage with Kate. They said their goodbyes and then headed in opposite directions. Abby debate on stopping for groceries, but didn't want to miss Gibbs if he stopped by her apartment, so she ordered delivery instead, ordering enough extra in case he showed… or for leftovers the next night.

She paced until just after midnight before she finally convinced herself that he wasn't calling or stopping by. She knew she could've called him herself, but she didn't want to come across as pushy. She was irritated. Irritated at his broken promise, and irritated that she had blown off a beer with Tony.

She debated calling Tim, she knew he was still awake, but she wasn't really interested in talking to him either. He wouldn't understand why she was so frustrated, and she didn't want to have to explain.

* * *

TBC..

*tag* gosgirl… you're it! And gibbsredhoodie… you've got double posting duty.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks for all the lovely reviews – I know this is moving slowly. I have TONS written starting in season… four, I think. Just gotta get there!

* * *

"Hey boss, we got a call." Tony explained all that he knew so far about the Jane Doe found alongside the road, having been buried alive and left for dead.

"It's 0500, why are you calling from the office?" Gibbs grumbled.

"Eh, the boiler in my apartment building blew, no electricity or heat. Could be a few weeks. You sleeping under the boat? I know the farm report when I hear it, and the only TV you've got is in the basement."

"Brilliant agent," Gibbs responded sarcastically. "Anything else I can help you with before I hang up?"

"Uh, actually… think I could use your guest room for a week or two? Maybe three?"

Gibbs snorted, remembering the last time Tony had stayed over. "Don't you have some girlfriend you could stay with? Call Kate, send her to the hospital to meet with Jane Doe, I'll be in shortly." He hung up and groaned as he rolled out from under the shell of his boat.

Something wasn't right with Jane Doe, but Kate seemed convinced that the poor woman was struggling and was determined to help her. He knew that some cases were impossible not to become personally involved with, and as soon as Kate said that their Jane Doe would stay with her, Gibbs knew he needed to step up and try and separate Kate from their victim.

When Suzanne detonated a bomb, killing herself, as well as Stephen Bauer and injuring Kate, Gibbs knew that he'd been right to suspect her from the beginning. But looking at Kate, now wasn't the time to say anything. He was glad she was okay, and judging by the look of relief on Tony's face as the medic cleared her to go home, he was relieved too.

"I just want to do something for her, you know?" Tony stepped up beside Gibbs.

"Nothing you can do, she needs to work through it."

"I know," Tony nodded. "A cupcake on her desk tomorrow couldn't hurt though, right?"

"No, I guess not." Gibbs patted his senior agent's shoulder. "Grab your stuff, you can come stay at my place." It wouldn't be the first time that Tony had needed to stay with him, and despite the extra costs – Tony seemed to triple the amount of heat, electricity and food costs while he stayed – it wasn't so bad to have him around. He was a natural in the kitchen, and Gibbs had to admit, having a real dinner for a few nights in a row was easy to get used too. And once Tony settled down and there wasn't a constant stream of nervous chatter, their conversation was easy and relaxed. Tony wasn't the worst house guest he could have.

"Oh, no thanks, boss. Abby said I could stay at her place. Put my overnight bag in her car earlier today. Thanks anyway," Tony smiled and then turned on his heel. They had driven in separately, and now that they couldn't do anything until the area cooled and the firefighters made sure all the fire was out, Tony was ready to head out.

He had been hurt when Gibbs had blown him off, but when Abby had offered him a place with no hesitation, Tony's fragile ego had been saved from completely shattering. He could afford a basic hotel for a few weeks – his renters insurance would likely kick back a partial refund, but still… the fact that Gibbs, his boss, mentor… friend, or so he thought, had said no.

Abby welcomed him into her apartment with open arms, and a cup of hot coffee with just the right about of milk and sugar. "But you're sure that Kate will be okay, right?"

"Yeah, she's a little shaken up, but Gibbs said something like that she needed to work through on her own."

Abby nodded and curled up on her couch, sipping her coffee. "Maybe I'll see if she wants to do lunch tomorrow or something. You okay? How close to the blast were you?" When Tony sat beside her, she reached out and brushed her fingers over a mark on his forehead. He'd obviously been hit by something, though not hard enough to cut the skin.

"Yeah, I'm fine, some of the ceiling materials were blown loose," he shrugged. "No big deal."

"Well, I'm glad you're okay." Abby set her cup down and leaned in to hug herself to Tony.

"You didn't ask about Gibbs," Tony noted. She always asked about Gibbs.

Abby shrugged. "You would've told me if he wasn't okay."

"Yeah, but that's never stopped you before."

"If he's fine, he's fine. Not like he'd actually call and confirm he's okay, anyway." She picked at her sleeve, not really wanting to talk about it.

"Abby…"

"When you guys got back from Columbia. He told me he'd see me, he knows I need to be _sure_ everyone is okay, especially after you guys go through something like that. I mean, he was wearing a sling for a few days at work! He never said anything. I was up past midnight just in case. Which is stupid, I know."

"Why didn't you call him?"

"He was with one of his redhead, wasn't he?"

Tony was surprised at how tense she was. "Yeah, but he'd always answer a call from you, you know that."

Abby turned to be able to look up at Tony. "Yeah, because _hey Gibbs, I know you're busy, probably wrapped around some red head, but I just wanted to see for myself that you're okay. Can I pop by real quick w_ould go over real well."

Tony laughed, "yeah, okay, point taken. But he probably just forgot that he was supposed to come see you, or at least call."

"Whatever," she shrugged.

Tony was quiet a moment, hating to see her so visibly upset over something that would've taken Gibbs five minutes. "Didn't you say there was a movie at this slumber party?"

"Only if we can watch something girly, like the Princess Brides."

Tony picked up her hand and brought it to his lips. "As you wish."

* * *

"Have you met Abby's boy-toy?" Kate asked casually as she went to her desk.

Tony knew she was asking him, but he couldn't help but notice Gibbs tense at word _boytoy_. "You talking about McGee? Because yes, yes I have."

Kate rolled her eyes, "not _him._ That guy Ashton from NASA. They sound _close_ and since you've been staying with her, I just figured… you know," Kate shrugged. "I mean, gotta be hard to stay at Abby's and not be able to have all your lady friends over. Though I doubt Abby would mind," she teased.

Tony knew Kate was just trying to get him riled up, but it was working and he had to bite his tongue to keep from snapping.

Surprisingly, it was Gibbs that spoke first. "Kate, leave DiNozzo alone."

"Oh come on, after all the crap he gives me…"

"But now you're dragging Abby's private life into it. Enough."

Tony was grateful for the interruption, but was ready to get out of the squad room. "Boss, I gotta go grab Ducky's jumpsuit from the cleaners."

Gibbs nodded, willing to give his agent an out.

Tony grabbed his wallet and keys and made quick retreat. He wondered if he'd been keeping Abby from any dates or hook ups. She didn't strike him as someone into casual sex, but for the past few weeks they had spent the evenings doing dinner together, sometimes a movie, and other times playing games on her x box. Some nights they didn't get back to her place until late, and sometimes he went back alone while she spent several extra hours in the lab working on results for the team.

To Tony, it felt like they were a couple, the only difference was the fact that he slept in the guest room and there was no sex. There were plenty of hugs – there were always hugs when Abby was involved – but it was weird to be living so close for so long and _not_ be involved. He was moving back to his place on Saturday. His apartment was ready Friday, but he and Abby had planned on a movie premier, and she had said it would just be easier to do it Saturday.

He tried to keep up his playboy attitude at work. He didn't need people like Kate bugging him more than she already was. He had been flirting with Gina, the woman that had been sunbathing nude on government property. He'd been flirting so much even _he_ knew he was coming across as desperate. He need to get a grip. He needed to be back in his own space and figure things out.

As he strolled back into the squad room with Ducky's clean jumpsuit, his phone was ringing again. While he may have seemed desperate at first, Gina sure had changed her mind.

"DiNozzo, answer your phone."

Tony sighed. "But it's Gina… she just won't give up."

"Wait, she's calling you know? I thought she…" Kate looked confused.

"Yeah, she tried to stay strong and avoid my boyish good looks, but… you know… she's just not what I'm looking for." Tony shrugged it off.

"I can't believe it."

"You'd better handle it, DiNozzo. Tired of listening to your phone ring."

"On it, boss."

* * *

"No, you can't let him do it. I don't care, but using himself as bait is not okay. You can't let him-" She crossed her arms in front of her.

"Let him do what?" Gibbs asked, strolling into the lab.

"You can't…" Abby trailed off when she spun around to face him, taking in the sight of Gibbs in his recruiter uniform, "can't use yourself," she shook her head clear of the inappropriate thoughts and fixed a glare at him. "You can't let him shoot you!"

"I'll be fine," he reached out to squeeze her shoulder, "they put up bullet proof glass."

"There is no such thing, only bullet resistant."

"He'll wear his vest under that," Tony stepped up to add. "And why couldn't I wear something like that instead of… this?" Tony looked down at his telephone pole repair man outfit. Every female on the Navy Yard was drooling over Gibbs in his uniform.

"Promise me you'll wear it," Abby pleaded.

"I'll… think about it." He wouldn't wear it, but Abby's perfect little pout pulled at his heart strings and he couldn't outright deny it.

Abby shook her head and turned back to her computer. She knew he wouldn't wear it, and that mean that she had an entire day of stress ahead of her.

Tony tried to keep her cheered up the best he could; checking in regularly with her after checking in with Gibbs and Kate. There was a steady stream of people going in and out of the office, though most were more curious about the man that had died rather than joining.

But then Kate thought she suspected one, only to find that their killer had already been there. It all happened in a flash – the shot, taking down the shooter. In the end, Tony's nerves were fried, but he still knew he had to make that call.

He was about to dial, when he saw Gibbs taking a moment to talk to one of the men assigned to the security detail. "Hey boss, you wanna give Abby a call?"

"Why?" Gibbs looked him over, concerned as to why they'd need Abby at this point.

"She uh, she was pretty worried, and then the shot… she can't see anything, but she could hear it all."

"I'm sure she knows I'm fine," Gibbs brushed it off.

"Actually…" Tony caught Gibbs arm as he started to turn away, "sorry," he dropped his hold at the glare Gibbs directed toward him. "When we came back from Columbia, you know, when you were in the sling for a few days. She waited for you to go see her, to call her… _something._ She said you said you'd go see her when we got back but then you were picked up and um… yeah." He watched as Gibbs' face softened as he remembered his promise.

"Yeah, okay. I'll give her a call."

* * *

Gibbs didn't call. Instead, he drove back to NCIS, and approached the lab with caution. He had forgotten about his promise to stop in on their way home from Columbia, but then had gotten a phone call from… _what was her name_ and he had been all too willing to try and push everything aside in favor of a warm body. But that hadn't lasted. He felt guilty that Abby had been waiting for him and never said a word about it.

"Abbs…?" Her lab was quiet, but the lights were still on, and her purse was on her desk.

"Hmm? Oh, hey Gibbs. Didn't realize you guys would be back right away. Figured there would be stuff to work out at the scene."

"They can handle it."

Abby nodded. "It's a shame he had to die, but glad you got him. And that you didn't get hurt."

"I'm alright," Gibbs flashed back to the bullet that had been stopped only inches from his face. "Was thinking that I'm in need of a decent dinner. Want to grab a bite?"

"With you?"

Gibbs smiled at the shock on her face. It had been months since they'd really done anything outside of work together. "With me."

The big grin on her face told him everything.

* * *

TBC….

*tag* you know you're it! ;)


	5. Chapter 5

"You should've seen her, hell… you should've seen _his_ face," Tony nodded at Gibbs. He had been intrigued at Gibbs response to Charlie, as she put more effort than Tony had expected, into wooing Gibbs. But soon that intrigued turned into entertainment, and he and Kate laughed about it as soon as Gibbs was led from the squad room. But now Tony, Gibbs and Abby were at their local bar, sipping beer and eating peanuts.

"Nothing to see," Gibbs glared.

"She wasn't a red head, that's it, isn't it?" Abby chimed in. She had only see Charlie on the news brief and hadn't actually met her. "You don't dig women without red, hair. Poor woman was doomed from the start." Abby was relieved at the same time. She knew Gibbs would never pick anyone like her, but she felt better when he turned others down. Made her feel like she wasn't the only one he wasn't interested in.

"Drop it." Gibbs grumbled. He couldn't explain about the red head thing – and he was resigned to letting them think that was his type. It wasn't, not really, but he couldn't explain it without going into detail. Detail they didn't need.

Abby gave him a cheeky grin and nudged his shoulder with her own. She cracked open another peanut and then sighed happily. "But this is nice. It's been a long time since the three of us grabbed a beer like this."

Gibbs nodded.

"And I'm sorry about your friend, Colonel Ryan." They had all noticed how hard it had been for Gibbs to convince his old commanding officer that Lt. David Cameron had died over 14 years ago. Abby was willing to think that maybe he _hadn't_ died until Gibbs confessed that Cameron had died in his arms.

Tony was unsure of what to say. Gibbs didn't open up to anyone, and then to see him have to open up about his time overseas had rattled.

Wanting to change the topic, Gibbs tugged on Abby's pigtail. "You said you prefer to date older men, right after Fornell left your lab. Something you'd like to share?" He sure hoped not, but he needed to switch focus from himself.

"Wait, Fornell and I?" She laughed. "Nah, he's a little too…. _FBI_ for my taste," she grinned. "Though rumor has it he's taking me to dinner to try and woo me over to the FBI. It won't work, but should be enjoyable."

Okay, hearing about the FBI trying to poach one of his wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear either, but hearing that she was firmly in her place at NCIS was comforting.

Tony swirled his beer around in the bottle and tried to ignore Abby's comment about dating older men. Not to mention she was practically dropping large hints for Gibbs to pick up (which, naturally, he wasn't). _Too FBI,_ Tony mused. _Not NCIS enough like our fearless leader_.

* * *

Abby felt horrible.

She was finally home; changed into cozy sweatpants, but she couldn't get the entire chain of events from her mind. Gibbs had somewhat put her at ease earlier, telling her that she hadn't been stuck in autopsy with Ducky, Gerald and the terrorist because she was meant to be helping him instead, but it didn't keep her from feeling awful for Kate – having sent her in her place.

She wondered what the terrorist would have done to her, if she had gone down. She wouldn't have been armed, but she knew the inside of autopsy as well as Ducky did and was certain she would have been able to find something. But Kate hadn't been able to get him when she had the chance. She had over-heard Tony and Kate taking, and when Tony had accused her of falling for the terrorist, Abby had been shocked.

She had gone to Kate to apologize, and then turned to Gibbs to find him gone. He had been shot in the shoulder and she wanted to go to him, but he clearly wasn't interested in her company at this point either. He hadn't returned her call, or stopped by.

It was nearly 10pm and while she was mentally exhausted, she couldn't settle. Heading toward the kitchen, she decided that baking was her best bet, letting herself get lost in kneading the dough for cookies. She was just about to pull out the non-stick cookie trays when her phone vibrated on the kitchen counter.

Gibbs name flashed on the screen and she jumped on the phone, "Gibbs! Oh my God, are you okay? Tony said you were shot and by the time I got down there, talked to Kate and then turned around… you were gone!"

"Needed a few stitches, but I'm fine."

"Oh. Okay, good." She was grateful he was making the effort to reach out to her to let her know that he was okay.

Gibbs sighed after a few moments of silence. "Could really use some help taping up the bandage so I can shower."

Abby had half of her baking supplies packed up before she replied. "I'm on my way!" She wasn't sure if Gibbs had anything to bake her cookies on, so she grabbed a big paper bag and pack her cookie trays up, then covered the bowl with the cookie dough and packed that as well. They only took 15 min or so per batch, so she figured she could tape up his arm and then cook them while he showered.

Gibbs was in the basement when she arrived. She dropped off her stuff in the kitchen and pre-heated the oven before heading downstairs. She was taken aback when she saw the face of the terrorist with two bullet holes in his face. "Do you know who he is?"

Gibbs shook his head and moved to his feet, putting the safety back on his gun and sticking it in his pocket. He motioned for her to head back upstairs and followed behind her. He went to the kitchen to get the plastic wrap and nodded to everything she had brought over. "What's all this?"

"I was in the middle of making cookies when you called, so I figured I could bake them here. That's okay, right?"

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "As long as I get to sample."

"Of course." She followed him upstairs and then gently helped him to remove his shirt. She bit her lip to keep from commenting on his bare skin - the urge to touch him, lean forward and press a kiss to his chest over his heart overwhelming. He held the strips of duct tape as she covered his bandages securely with plastic wrap. "Okay, that should do it. Call me up when you're ready for me to take it off."

"Don't eat all the cookies without me."

Abby grinned at him before heading downstairs again. She busied herself in her baking, dividing the dough into three batches. She was just switching the second for the third, when Gibbs came down the stairs. He was in sweatpants and had a clean shirt over his uninjured shoulder. "Smells good."

"First batch should be cool by now." Abby closed the oven door and set the oven mitts aside. "Here, let's take the plastic off." She tried not to breathe too deeply, the simple smell of his soap and his own unique scent, driving her crazy. She peeled the tape and plastic off and double checked that the bandage had stayed dry. She watched as he worked the shirt on, and despite wanting to help him as it became bunched around his shoulder, she left him to work it out when he didn't ask for help.

"Coffee?"

"Oh, I already made some, just finished before you came down," Abby pointed to the coffee maker and the cup she had set beside it, ready for when he was done with shower.

"I saw. Was asking if you wanted some. Or milk, with your cookies?"

Abby knew it was as much as an invite as she was going to get, so she nodded, a shy smile on her face. "Coffee, please." She put several cookies on a plate and once the coffee was poured, they headed out to the living room to sit down. She was careful to sit on the side where he hadn't been hurt and leaned against him, grateful that he had called her over so that she could see for herself that he was okay.

"Thanks for your help today," Gibbs spoke eventually. "You did good."

"I still feel guilty for making Kate go through it all."

"Don't."

"It's hard not to."

"I know, but Ducky would've had an even harder time if it had been you down there. Kate is an agent and he knew she knew how to handle the situation." _I would have fallen apart if you had been down there._

"I guess, but…" she snuggled closer into his side. "I feel so… violated that he got into NCIS like that. We're supposed to be safe at work."

"I know," Gibbs wrapped his good arm around her and pressed his lips to the top of her head, "I'll keep you safe. I'll get him."

"Just don't put yourself on the line when you do, okay? You've gotta keep yourself safe, too." Abby picked up a cookie and took a bite. "He's already shot you once, I don't want him to get the chance again."

"He won't. I won't rest until I get him." Gibbs guided her hand with the cookie to his mouth so he could have a bite.

"I know. And that's what makes me so nervous."

* * *

Tony couldn't help but laugh at the look of disgust on Kate's face as Tony joked about the latex and rubber they had found during the case, and all the ways Kate could use it.

"Don't you think that'd be more Abby's thing?"

Tony thought for a second until Kate rolled her eyes.

"I was kidding, Tony."

"I know, I know. You wanna grab some Chinese food? Been a long few days."

"Sure," Kate grabbed her bag, "should we ask Gibbs..?"

Tony shook his head, "he's been busy doing the same thing every night," he nodded toward Gibbs.

Kate looked over at Gibbs as he sat watching the terrorists face as it was run through every facial recognition program they knew of. "How about Abby, we should ask her."

"She's busy doing the same thing _she's _been doing every night."

"Which is…?"

"C'mon, I'll fill you in over dinner."

* * *

Abby hovered in the back hallway as Tony and Kate packed up their stuff and headed out. For nearly two weeks now, Gibbs sat late into the night waiting for a match on their terrorist. And each night she waited with him. She had a wide range of excuses in case he ever questioned why she was still there with him, but he seemed content to have her there.

She waited until the elevator closed and then slowly walked toward Gibbs' desk. She pulled to bigger cartons out of a plastic bag, each containing a cheeseburger and fries. Gibbs smiled gratefully and accepted the food, clearing a spot for both of them to use his desk as a table.

At first he was annoyed that she never seemed to let him sit alone, but then he realized that if she was there with him, it was one less of his _family_ he had to worry about. If she was within his reach, he could keep her safe.

They never spoke as they sat and watched the programs run, but there was the added comfort of the company. Roughly around midnight, Gibbs would stretch and turn away from the screen. More than likely, Abby would be dozing in her chair, so he'd grab his wallet, badge and gun and walk her down to her car. The only words he spoke were those to ask if she was okay to drive. She always said yes, he kissed her on the cheek and they both headed to their respective homes.

* * *

TBC…

Sorry for the delay, had a huge pipe leak and ruin all my NCIS magazines, my personal poetry portfolio and a print out of all my emails from when I was in boarding school. A close family friend had printed them all and put them in a binder so I could later write a book about my experience. Ugh. but flat!Gibbs is safe - the spot he normally stands is soaked, but I had him upstairs for the start of season ten and then had been too lazy to put him back in my office. SO LUCKY.

And now that I've posted... back to gosgirl & gibbsredhoodie.


	6. Chapter 6

"Go on then, I can take it." Tony stood tall and proud as Kate prowled close.

"What was it like, tonguing a guy?"

"Forget it, I can't take it." Tony slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed out. He hoped Abby wasn't busy, he really needed some distraction for the evening and hoped she'd be up for a movie.

Within the hour, Abby was knocking at his door, a pizza in one hand and a six pack of beer in the other. "I saw a photo… he… she wasn't ugly."

"Doesn't make me feel any better."

Abby nodded. "Just imagine if you had gotten any further, talk about a real surprise!" she teased.

"Not helping."

"Alright, alright. What're we watching?"

Tony held up a selection of Bond movies. "Fancy any of these?"

"Sure." Abby slipped out of her shoes and curled up on the couch, a slice of pizza and a napkin in her hand.

Tony started the movie and uncapped two beers before joining her on the couch. The first beer went down quickly as Tony tried to get the image of Voss out of his mind. It wasn't that he was grossed out, it wasn't the first time he had kissed a man, but he felt vulnerable at being tricked. As soon as the pizza was gone, Abby curled into his side, and the warmth of her body settled him. When the first movie ended, Abby stretched her arms upward. "Have a sweatshirt I can borrow?"

"Yeah," Tony got up to put their empty bottled in the recycle and grab more. "I can grab you one."

"Just tell me where they are, and I can find one."

"Far right in the closet." He collected the rest of the stuff from dinner to tidy up before another movie.

"Got it," Abby headed back to his bed room and flipped on the light in his closet. She wasn't surprise that he not only had the medium size walk-in closet (he once said that it was the deciding factor in picking his apartment), but also a two dressers filled with clothes. She ran her fingers along his extensive collection of suit jackets and then zeroed in on his sweatshirt collection. She picked a bright red one. It was plain, looked large and kind of reminded her of the USMC one that Gibbs often wore in his basement. She decided to slip out of the shirt she had worn all day, sliding the sweatshirt on over her bra. The sweatshirt fell to mid-thigh and she debated slipping out of her skirt, then spotting a pair of clean boxers, she slid her skirt down over her hips and slipped on the shorts instead.

"Whoa… okay, that sweatshirt never looks that good on me." Tony did a double take when Abby came back out and made herself comfortable again.

"Borrowed some shorts too, much more comfortable than my skirt."

"Not complaining," Tony leered. He started the second movie and sat beside Abby again, handing her another beer. She leaned into his side and pulled the blanket from the back of the couch over her legs. They continued to laugh and drink through another movie, until Tony was up on his feet doing impersonations, and Abby was stretched across the couch, holding her stomach as she laughed.

"Wow, I'm really drunk," Abby sat up as Tony finished his last impersonation and sat at the end of the couch. "I think."

Tony laughed. "If I am, you are. You drank more than I did!"

"Because you won't shut up."

"Whatever," Tony rolled his eyes.

"Well, then you'd better catch up," Abby stood, giving herself a moment to compose herself and then headed for the liquor cabinet. "What're ya having. I can't be the only one this way," she slurred.

"I want you," Tony said quietly. He wasn't nearly as drunk as Abby was, but there was still the influence of alcohol making him say it.

Abby turned around with a smug grin, "who doesn't?" She grabbed a bottle of tequila and two shot glasses. "You mind grabbing the salt and lime."

Tony knew that once the tequila was flowing, things would be dangerous, but he was loose enough to decide to just go with it.

Abby had two shots poured by the time he came back with a little container of salt and a small plate of lime wedges. They each took a shot and grimaced at the burn. "That was delicious," Abby purred. "Did it help you forget the fact that she was a he?"

Tony glared at her and poured a second shot.

"Hold on, let the first one go down," Abby's laughter floated through the air. They flipped channels and somehow settled on the home shopping network, laughing as the woman gave a _tour_ of a suitcase.

"This is ridiculous, come on, another shot."

Abby sat up and grabbed Tony, pushing him back against the couch. "Body shot, stay still." She used the lime, running along his neck before sprinkling salt over the damp area. She placed the rind of the lime between his lips and picked up her shot. Straddling his lap, she leaned in and licked the salt from his neck, downed her shot and then took the lime from between his lips.

A giggle bubbled up and she wrinkled her nose when she was done with the lime. "That was rough, your turn!"

Tony helped her off his lap, and she gave him a curious look as he helped her to lay back on the couch. She watched curiously as he gathered what he needed, and then pushed up the sweatshirt she was wearing. She squirmed as he rubbed the lime along her stomach, just beside her bellybutton, and then reached up to place it between her teeth.

He sprinkled some salt on her skin and then reached for his shot. Leaning forward, Tony licked the salt from her stomach, hesitating when her fingers threaded into his hair. Slowly he sat up again, downing his shot in one go and then leaning forward to take the lime. He barely had the lime between his lips before he spit it aside and surged forward again to kiss Abby.

She opened to his kiss immediately, her fingers threading through his hair as he worked his hands under the sweatshirt to push it up. They struggled briefly getting the sweatshirt off of her, and his shirt open, but soon he had her bra off and she clawed at his bare shoulders as he sucked a hardened nipple between his lips.

Abby arched up off the couch, and then wrapped her legs around Tony's waist as he continued to lavish attention to her breasts. Slowly he worked his way down over her stomach, collecting the last few bits of salt from earlier, the tangy residue of lime adding to the taste of her skin. He worked his shorts off of her, and suddenly her hand was in his hair again, guiding him exactly where she wanted him.

Her scent was intoxicating and he wasted no time in tasting her, probing into her with his tongue. He suckled over her clit and tapped it with his tongue, loving the way it made her moan and wiggle under him.

He brought her to the edge and backed off repeatedly, until she pushed him to the floor with a thud and then followed him down, pulling at his jeans until they were around his knees. She straddled him and lowered herself over him, grinding her hips down against his, her fingers clawing at his chest as he bucked up into her. Their movements were clumsy as they fumbled around, grabbing, licking, kissing all over one another. Abby was the first to come, her body tensing as she rode out the hazy waves of pleasure.

Tony wasn't sure he'd ever seen her look so happy, and it was that thought – the thought that he was responsible for her pleasure that eventually pushed him over the edge as he spilled into her.

* * *

Tony was slow to wake, his first thought was of how dry his mouth was, then how sore he was and finally how satisfied he felt. He rolled over to see Abby curled up on the other side of the bed, clutching one of his pillows. He vaguely remembered them pulling various articles of clothing back on and stumbling to bed. He was fairly certain they had curled up together and continued to make out for a while before falling asleep, but it was all a bit foggy.

He noticed that Abby was starting to wake, and nearly reached out to her.

"Ugh, how much did we drink last night?"

Tony had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach and pulled his hand away.

"I mean, the beer I remember… and then… tequila? Argh, my head hurts, how are you?" She pulled the blanket up to her chin and rolled forward to bury her face in the pillow.

"A… A bit of a headache," it wasn't a total lie. But the headache had been relatively dull by how satisfied he had been feeling. "I'll… I'll get us some Tylenol and water. I'm sure we'll feel better once we've had something to drink. Should I order something from the diner down the street? I can go pick it up."

"Sure."

Tony waited. And hoped. Hoped that she would remember something from the night before, but as the morning dragged on, she gave no clue as to remembering their night together. He slipped a shirt on to hide the red marks along his chest, not wanting her to question what had happened if she didn't remember. He knew he was clean, and she had talked about being on the pill more than once, so he decided that it wasn't worth bringing up.

Abby seemed to perk up once she had some food in her system, and she helped to clean up the beer bottles, the dried out lime wedges and hand wash the shot glasses. "Sometimes I wonder why I still do shots, but I guess it's nice to get wasted every now and again with a friend and not worry about it."

"Yeah," Tony nodded. "Glad we can hang out like this, no pressure. I mean, even just grabbing dinner with Kate, I feel like I have to dress up. Even if it's just Chinese take-out in the office!"

Abby laughed. "I'd like to see you and Kate wasted together, too funny. She relaxes once she's had a few drinks, but… not sure we could convince her to do shots. Alright, I'd better get home. I need a nap if I want to get _anything _done today. And I need to stop by Gibbs' and make sure he's got something decent in his fridge. I worry about him, he's so caught up in finding that terrorist…"

"Yeah, okay."

Abby noticed that his smile seemed fake. "You alright?"

"Yeah, just tired." _Tired from having the best sex in a long time, and now you don't remember and are running off to make sure the boss is okay._ "Otherwise, I'm fine."

* * *

For a brief moment, when Tony found himself waking up in the dirty, old sewer, he wondered if it would just be better to let whomever had drugged him, kill him. He was tired of his life going nowhere. His string of much younger girlfriends, followed by his lust for Abby and the fact that she saw him as nothing more than a friend had him believing that maybe he wasn't destined to go any further. He would never have the white picket fence, the wife, the kids, the dog sleeping at the foot of his bed.

But something wouldn't let him just give up and give in. He tried to think like Gibbs. _What would Gibbs do?_ He asked himself, over and over. First using the knife in his belt to free himself and Atlas, then tackling Vanessa as soon as Kate had her attention elsewhere.

"Oh come on boss, you were worried, right?" Tony asked for the fourth time as they rode the elevator up. "I mean, I could have died." He ignored Kate's snicker of laughter and pushed for Gibbs to say _something._

"Tony," Gibbs took two steps out of the elevator and then turned to his senior agent, cupping his face in his hands, "as far as I'm concerned, you're irreplaceable."

Tony's grin covered his face as he watched his boss walk away.

"Forget about it, McGee. He's still alive."

Tony pulled up short when he turned to see McGee sitting at his desk. "What…"

But suddenly Abby was there, her warm arms wrapped around him and he almost forgot that McGee was at his desk. "I was _so _worried about you!" She pressed a warm kiss to his cheek. "And don't let them tease you, McGee was at your desk because he's running updates on his own."

"Ah, well… that makes me feel better," Tony half-lied. He waited as McGee cleared a stack of folders from his desk and then gathered his backpack. "I need a shower. See you all tomorrow."

Abby watched him leave and then turned to Gibbs. "Something isn't right with him. You need to make it right."

"Ah, come on, Abbs. He knows I was just teasing about McGee having his desk."

"Maybe so, but something is off. Past few days have been hard on him and I can't figure out why. Fix it."

"Me?" Gibbs chuckled. Her faith in him, that he could do anything, amused him to no end. "What can I do?"

"You're Gibbs," she stated simply. "Fix it."

* * *

TBC

So... who is posting next ladies? gosgirl or... gibbsredhoodie?


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for following!

* * *

"DiNozzo. My place. 1900." He didn't leave Tony any choice, merely barked out the order, grabbed his stuff and headed out. Now it was Just before 7, he had steaks over the fireplace and two beers on the coffee table. He looked up when the door opened and then nodded at his senior agent. "Grab the plates."

Tony did as he was told, unsure of why he was invited to his boss' house. "Uh, boss…"

"Abby's worried about you."

"She is?" He immediately felt guilty.

Gibbs nodded. "She said something is off, wants me to fix it."

Tony shook his head, "nothing… I mean, I was a little shook up being down in that sewer, but… all part of the job, right?" He always turned to humor when he was uncomfortable.

"You know I'm not giving McGee your desk."

"Yeah, I know." Tony laughed. "I'm much too good looking to be moved to the back of the office."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Talk to Abby if something is bothering you, otherwise she'll keep hounding me." He pulled the steaks from the fire and put one on each of their plates. "And if you need help with anything, ask."

Tony stared at Gibbs; it wasn't often that Gibbs sounded so… supportive, like he wanted to help.

"I'm here," Gibbs swallowed, "if you need anything."

* * *

"Gibbs…" Abby sat down beside him on his couch, with a huff. "I've got a problem."

"Oh yeah?" He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him, leaning in to press a tender kiss to her temple. "How can I help."

"Guy problems." Gibbs tried not to tense, but when she patted his knee and shook her head, he knew she had picked up on it. "Not _those _kinds of problems, just… problems."

Gibbs waited her out, knowing she'd continue on her own once she was ready.

"It's McGee. We had dinner and he was like, _I really, really like you._ I just said thanks."

Gibbs was silent a moment. "That's your problem?"

"Giiiiibbs. I think he thinks I'm _interested_. Like, something serious or whatever. He's nice and we had fun flirting, but that was a few months back and now that he's spending more and more time at NCIS and I've gotten to know him more… we're just not… I dunno, _meant to be_."

"You tell him that?"

"I've been trying, but it's like he's holding out hope. And he just seems so… fragile. I don't want to be mean, you know?"

"You need to be firm, not mean. Don't lead him on if you're not interested."

"Yeah, okay." They sat quietly, watching the fire in the fire place. "Can I spend the night here tonight? I haven't been sleeping well and…" she trailed off. She wasn't sure how to explain how safe he made her feel without him feeling like she was holding out hope for something that would never happen.

Gibbs nodded and kissed the side of her head once again. "You've got your overnight bag in your car?" He'd trained his team and Abby to always have an overnight bag in their car – just in case.

"Yeah."

"You go grab it and I'll get a clean towel so you can grab a quick shower."

Abby was quick in grabbing her stuff, and grateful that Gibbs was willing to let her stay. She had stayed on occasion before – when her power had gone out, the occasional time they both had more to drink than they should have, etc. She figured he would have wanted her on the couch (she always saw a pillow and blanket, and figured it was for guests), but each time he'd shared his bed with her, making her feel safe.

* * *

Gibbs wasn't sure how he ended up with two fingers between Abby's legs, desperately trying to get her off before she finished him off with her hand. It had been a tense week chasing after their terrorist who turned out to be Mossad. Coming face to face with him in the morgue, Gibbs had wanted to kill him for everything he'd put his team through, but he controlled himself and shot Ari in the shoulder – to make his story more believable. But for weeks he had been losing sleep, all his focus and energy going toward identifying and finding him. Abby had taken on some of the stress and as guilty as it made him feel, he was grateful she had been by his side – providing food, company, comfort. But now that it was over, the emotional drop that came along with it, found him seeking comfort from her body.

By some silent agreement, they weren't going to fuck. He couldn't have her – not in that way – and let her walk away. He wasn't sure he could even kiss her, instead he sat with her on the couch, holding her close and working two fingers in and out of her at a furious pace. She was warm and wet and her body (still mostly dressed) was soft against his. Her hand was wrapped tightly around his dick, and he thrust into her grasp every time she moaned. She arched and twisted and eventually let go of him as he brought her nearer to her breaking point. The sound of the palm of his hand, slapping against her warm mound keep him on edge even though she was no longer touching him. She cried out and grabbed his hand, stalling his movements as she rode out her orgasm, her insides fluttering around his fingers.

He was in awe at how beautiful she was like this – heat radiating in her cheeks, her body trembling and her hair fanned out over the couch cushion. "Abby…" he needed her so badly, he felt as if he were about to fall to pieces if she didn't touch him again.

Before he could even ask, Abby was on her knees in front of him, her lips sliding around his dick. He felt horrible, he felt guilty, but he also felt _so damn good_.

She worked her tongue against the slit and then along the underside before bobbing up and down, letting him slide in as far as he could. Gibbs tangled his fingers in her hair, but only rested his hands on her head, not wanting to hurt her by being too forceful. "God Abbs, like that… just like that." His hips jerked and Abby moved with him. He was on the verge but just couldn't let go. Suddenly Abby looked up at him, her bright green eyes giving him that little extra nudge. He tried to pull away, but Abby followed his movements, and suddenly he was sending wave after wave of his seed down her throat. She licked him clean and then let him fall from her mouth, and rested her head on his thigh.

"You okay?" He reached out and stroked her cheek.

She nodded. "Can I stay here tonight?"

"Yeah. Go get cleaned up, I'll be up in a minute." He refused to think about what had just happened between them and instead focused on shutting off the lights and locking the door. He normally didn't lock the doors, but the rare occasion that Abby spent the night, he made a habit of locking up.

Abby was already tucked into his bed by the time he made it up. He changed and headed to the bathroom and then pulled back the blankets and slid in beside Abby. It wasn't often that he slept in the bed – mostly sleeping on the couch unless he had company – but he had to admit, that it felt good on his old bones.

Abby was already half asleep by the time he was stretched out beside her, but she moved toward him and snuggled against his chest. He wasn't sure he would get any sleep, but suddenly his eyes were fluttering open as the morning light danced over the bed.

It was like nothing had happened the night before, Abby yawned and stretched and wished him a good morning and then rolled over to sleep a little longer. Gibbs bent over to kiss her forehead and then hit the shower. She was up and making breakfast by the time he finished showering, and when he sat down she placed a cup of coffee and a plate of pancakes in front of him.

"Plans for today?"

Abby glanced at her watch. "I gotta be out of here in 30 minutes, I promised the sisters to help with setting up for a dinner tonight." She joined him at the table and they both tucked into breakfast.

Gibbs was surprised that things hadn't seemed to change between them. His dick twitched at the memory of the previous night, but he kept himself under control. Abby finished her breakfast and tidied up.

"I gotta run, see you Monday." She stood behind him and gave his shoulders a squeeze and dropped a kiss to the top of his head and then was on her way.

* * *

Tony pulled out a stool and waved Abby over. Kate had suggested beers to welcome McGee to the team, inviting Tony, Abby, Ducky and Gibbs. They all agreed except Gibbs. He had headed home as soon as possible without saying a word.

"Where's the boss?" Abby sat beside Tony and smiled at the others.

"Went home, something about this case hit him… hard."

Abby frowned. "I can't understand why anyone would endanger their daughter like that, she was so terrified. And then to find out it was all her dad's fault? Terrible. She's such a bright girl, too."

"Yeah, it was kind of scary," Kate added. "I thought he was going to kill him when we caught him. He shoved him up against the wall and was using his arm to choke him."

"Oh dear," Ducky shook his head.

"Guys… he said… he said I belong to him now… what _exactly_ does that mean?" McGee was glad for the jump to NCIS, it was a considerable raise from where he had been, but Gibbs as his full-time boss was intimidating.

Tony and Kate shared a look, smiling big before patting McGee on the back.

Abby's phone rang and she pulled it from her pocket and was surprised to see Gibbs' name flash across the screen. "Hey…." Abby answered.

Tony caught sight of who was calling and tried to listen to the conversation without seeming obvious. He could only hear Abby's side of the conversation, which wasn't much. He watched as she downed her drink and tossed a ten dollar bill to the barman. She flipped her phone shut and hopped off her stood. "I gotta run, see you guys tomorrow!"

No one else knew that it was Gibbs that had called, so Tony didn't offer that information, instead he watched as she hurried to the door. He wasn't surprised that she would drop everything and run if Gibbs called, but it still rubbed in the fact that she'd rather spend time with Gibbs than him.

"Wonder who called?" Kate asked.

Tony shrugged. "Maybe one of the nuns, who knows." He squared his shoulders and looked at McGee. "You know, there is an initiation _thing_ to join our team."

"Wh-what?" McGee looked to Kate and then Ducky.

"Yeah," Tony grinned. "Hope you have some old family hangover remedies. You're gonna need it."

* * *

Gibbs paced back and forth through the living room, dining room and into the kitchen. He needed something, needed to forget… The case involving Sandy Watson had hit him harder than any recent case he could remember. Not only had the child been in danger, it was because of the father. He couldn't understand how anyone could willingly put their child in danger and it made his blood boil.

There were a few things he could think of to help him forget for just a little while, but most of them came with consequences that had him thinking twice. It had to talk himself into calling Abby, even the sound of her hello had eased a bit of the tension. All he'd had to say was _I need you_ and she was on her way. He heard her car pull up outside, so he tried to shake off some the physical tension, he didn't want to scare her.

"Gibbs?" She opened the door slowly and peeked inside, almost as if she were expecting something or someone to jump out at her. The tone of his voice on the phone had made her uneasy and she was worried over what she might find.

"Abbs…" Gibbs stood in the middle of his living room, looking lost.

"Gibbs, are you okay?" Abby shut the door behind her and flipped the lock before dropping her purse on the coffee table and moving toward him. She wrapped her arms around his middle in a tight hug.

"Need you." He tangled his fingers in her hair and gently pulled back, tilting her face to his.

"I'm here," she smiled up at him. "Always here for you."

He leaned in for a fairly chaste kiss, pressing his lips to hers as if to thank her for coming over. Just having her in his arms was enough to allow him to let go of some of the stress he was carrying.

Abby snuggled against his chest and worked her hands between them to tug at his belt. He allowed her to move them to the couch and work his jeans down, followed by his boxers. She touched him softly, massaging his thighs, her fingers dancing over his abdomen, followed by soft kisses.

Gibbs let out a ragged sigh as he let Abby take care of him, her soft touches easing his mind, her warm lips bringing his body to life. He exploded over her tongue a short time later, reaching for her once he was done, and wrapping her up in his arms. "Give me a minute, I'll return the favor."

Abby shook her head and nuzzled against his neck. "You called me for a reason, let me take care of you."

Gibbs was too tired to argue; instead he held her close, his jeans down around his ankles as they sat together on the couch. Eventually Abby helped him to kick free of his jeans and then pulled him to his feet. She led him upstairs and ran him a hot shower. She gathered clean boxers and got herself ready for bed. Gibbs wasn't far behind once he showered and together they curled up together in his bed. She wasn't going to ask questions, but Abby was left unsettled with how the case had hit Gibbs.

TBC…


	8. Chapter 8

Tony hit the mat with a thud and cringed, expecting an incoming punch from Gibbs.

"I'm not going to hit you, DiNozzo," Gibbs was hovering over him, barely out of breath compared to a panting Tony.

"Oh, thanks boss… would probably slow me down for the day."

"The fact that you're out of breath will slow you down." Gibbs stood up and pulled Tony to his feet. He liked sparring with Tony. Tony wasn't much of a threat, but his constant chatter was distracting, and every so often he'd give Gibbs and run for his money – but not often.

They danced around each other and Tony swung out in an attempted to knock Gibbs around, but missed.

"You clear things up with Abby?" She hadn't mentioned Tony being off lately, but occasionally he was worried about Tony too, so he figured he'd use Abby's name to bring it up.

"Huh?" Tony stopped and took Gibbs glove to the side, knocking him over again. "She still worried?" Tony looked up at Gibbs, concerned.

"Hasn't said anything, but I just wanted to be sure everything was okay." He helped Tony to his feet again and pulled off his gloves. "Enough for today, hit the showers." Gibbs followed Tony to the locker room and they grabbed their towels and soap and went toward the showers. Gibbs hung his towel next to his shower stall as Tony did the same. He then moved to the bench across from the stall and stripped down. He dug through the toiletries he kept at work, grabbing soap and shampoo. Tony did the same as him, and he couldn't help but sneak an occasional peak at Tony as they stood there nude, gathering what they needed. Tony looked to be slightly aroused and Gibbs felt his own dick twitch in response. He had to admit that Tony had a nice body – well built, toned muscles, and a nice tan. He looked away just before Tony glanced over at him, and then headed across the hall for a shower.

He was in the middle of shampooing his hair when he heard a soft grunt come from Tony's shower stall. He moved out of the stream of water and listened again. Within minutes he knew what Tony was doing, and his dick took immediate interest. He forced himself to continue washing, ignoring the fact that he was sporting his own healthy erection. He wondered if Abby would meet him in the elevator. It had been three months since they had first hooked up, and now they were meeting almost weekly. Their hook-ups varied – sometimes he needed the relief after a tough case, other times Abby it was Abby feeling vulnerable and in need of reassurance. And sometimes they just needed the release.

He still hadn't fucked her but it made it easier to watch her walk away at the end of the night or the next morning. She never pushed for more, and by some mutual agreement they never talked about what was going on between them, just enjoying it while it happened, and then going back to their regular close friendship as though nothing changed.

He knew the exact moment Tony climaxed – the happy sigh, followed by the extra splashes of water as Tony made sure to wash the evidence down the drain were a dead giveaway.

Gibbs finished as quickly as possible, and kept his back to Tony as they dressed, the more he thought about Tony's actions and then Abby, the more difficult it became to ignore what his body wanted. As Tony headed for the squad room, Gibbs found himself headed to the lab. This was getting out of control if he was going to seek relief at work, but for now, he couldn't think past his body's demand.

He was relieved to see Abby standing in her lab. She was standing at the counter, looking over a few files spread across the table. They were alone, but the cameras were rolling so he couldn't do much. He walked up behind her, taking her by surprise. He pressed his erection against her ass and rested his palms on the table on either side of her. "Abbs…"

"Can I help you with something?" She peered over her shoulder at him, her smile innocent, but the spark in her eyes giving her away. She knew exactly what he wanted.

"Whatcha workin' on?" Gibbs looked over her shoulder at the files she had spread out.

"The papers got mixed up when McGee dropped the files. I'm just organizing them before putting them away. Nothing important."

"My office?"

Abby gave a slight nudge back, putting pressure on his dick. She grinned when he swallowed hard. "Yeah, your office." She stepped past Gibbs and headed out of the lab, and waited for the elevator to open. Gibbs followed quickly and as soon as the elevator headed up toward the squad room, Gibbs hit the emergency stop button and moved to stand back against the wall of the elevator. "On your knees," he directed as he worked his belt open and unzipped his slacks.

Abby dropped gracefully to her knees and waited as he worked himself free of his clothes. He was hard and leaking and Gibbs realized that he'd have to change his boxers at some point in the near future. Abby didn't seem to care, or notice and she leaned in taking him between her lips before he finished his train of thought. Her tongue swirled around him, leaving him breathless and grasping the railing behind him. "God, Abbs…"

She hummed appreciatively and glanced up at him as one of his hands came down to cup her cheek as he thrust gently into her mouth. She worked hard, the way his fingers tensed against her jaw, his short hitched breathes all encouraging her to keep going.

"I'm gonna come…" he panted. She had always swallowed, but he wanted to give her warning. He grunted twice more and then clutched her face as he found his release. "Give me a minute," he needed to be sure he could stand before returning the favor.

Abby laughed and moved to her feet, bringing his pants up with her. "You're going to have to come by my lab again later. Your phone has been vibrating in your pocket; I bet you've got a case." She helped him to buckle back up and then nuzzled against his neck.

Gibbs reached for his phone and saw a missed call from Kate – he hadn't even noticed. "Sorry," he felt guilty like he had just used her and then left her with nothing.

"Don't be, part of the job." She watched as he set the elevator in motion, sending it toward the squad room. "So, what had you so worked up?"

Gibbs was about to open his mouth, make up some reason why he'd been so turned on, when the elevator door opened and Tony stood in front of them.

"Boss, we've been looking for you."

* * *

Gibbs glanced at his watch and frowned. There was no way he would make it down to Abby's lab during lunch like he'd planned. He hated that she had taken care of him, but then he hadn't been able to return the favor. But Cpl. Yost needed him and he couldn't turn his back on a veteran.

He was determined to clear the man's name, despite Lt. Cmdr. Coleman breathing down his neck. By the time he cleared the man's name, he was exhausted – mentally, emotionally and physically. It was Yost's idea to grab a bite to eat, and Gibbs knew just the place.

There was a lot of sake involved and by the time Gibbs was home, he was exhausted, but feeling good. It was late, but not too late, so he figured he'd give Abby a call.

"Hey Gibbs," Abby greeted after the third ring. "Everything okay with Ernie?"

The sound of her voice made him smile. "Went well, he's doing okay. What're you doing?"

"I'm with Tony and McGee, at the usual spot. Kate just left. You should come join us. We haven't been here long, but Kate has a date, so…"

Gibbs felt a rush of disappointment rush through him. "Nah, I had plenty to drink with Ernie."

"I could come over after, if you want."

It was an offer Gibbs wanted to take. He was about to tell her that his door was open when he heard Tony in the back ground asking her to dance. "I'm going to organize a few things in the basement and then get some sleep. I'll see ya tomorrow." Gibbs hung up and looked down at the phone. He hated that he was jealous, but he knew that McGee still held out hope that Abby would give him another chance. It wasn't so much McGee that he was jealous of – Abby had made it clear that she was no longer interested. It was Tony. It was clear that Tony was interested, but much to unsure to actually make a move. He wasn't sure how Abby felt about Tony – the agent did a good job of keeping his feelings hidden within his play-boy persona, but to Gibbs, it was obvious in the way Tony looked at her.

Maybe it was time to give up his physical relationship with Abby.

* * *

"Hey boss, hope I didn't wake you…"

Gibbs rolled his eyes and drilled another dowel hole in for the boat, the sound of the farm report on in the background. "What is it DiNozzo?"

"Marine went boom. In a hospital bed. That's all I know."

"Where we headed," Gibbs tucked the phone between his ear and shoulder and started picking up.

"Bethesda."

Gibbs hung up and turned to the woman sitting on the work bench looking over his boat plans. "Think you could give me a lift to Bethesda?"

"Sure." She tucked her curly red hair behind her ear and grabbed her keys. "You think you'll be off in time to do dinner?"

"I dunno," Gibbs pressed a kiss to her lips before heading up the stairs. "I'll call you." Gibbs was silent on the ride over. He had called her over in an attempt to help himself move on from whatever he had. Or didn't have with Abby. But they hadn't even had sex yet, he'd just wanted to finish the dowels he had been working on when she arrived. She was nice, and he could fuck her with her expecting too much. She knew his job was busy, and they went weeks, months without seeing one another, but lately she'd been pushing for more – dinner, movies, it was decision time.

He wasn't able to make dinner, but as soon as they wrapped things up, throwing Dr. Byers behind bars he considered making the call – inviting her over for a nightcap. He was just wrapping things up in the squad room, half listening to his agents when something Tony said, caught his attention.

It wasn't what Tony said about Paula Cassidy, it was the tone of his voice, as if he really missed her, that through Gibbs for a loop. If Tony was in some sort of relationship with Cassidy, then he wasn't chasing Abby.

"I've got a date," McGee announced proudly.

Tony made a snarky reply about his right hand, but McGee ignored it and headed out with a smile on his face.

"I had a date," Ducky said sadly, coming through the squad room, "but she's a bit _locked up_ at the moment, DiNozzo…?"

"Sorry Ducky, I've got plans."

Ducky turned to Gibbs, but the pained look on Gibbs face kept him quiet. The opera wasn't exactly his ideal evening. "You know Duck, I bet Abby would love to join you."

"Yes… yes." Ducky looked up as Abby rounded the corner. "Abigail, I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me to the opera tonight. I just happen to have an extra ticket."

Abby's eyes lit up. "I would love to! However, I think maybe you should ask Kate first. She's still down staring at Hayes' body in autopsy. She might need something to take her mind off the case. But if she'd rather have a quiet night in, I would love to go."

Ducky thought for a moment and nodded. "Don't go anywhere, I'll go and ask her."

"Sounds good," Abby smiled. She moved forward to perch on Gibbs' desk. "I feel bad for him, he was enjoying Byers company and then for her to turn up as our killer… what a shame."

Gibbs nodded. "If Kate goes with Ducky, you have plans for the evening?"

Abby shook her head. It had been a long day, and they were nearly 24 hours of no sleep.

Just then the phone at Gibbs' desk rang. He answered gave a brief _okay_ and then hung up. "He's taking Kate, said to thank you for the suggestion."

Abby smiled again. "She was really struggling earlier. It'll be good for her."

Gibbs gathered his stuff and switched off the lamp over his desk. "Was thinking of ordering a pizza, care to join me?" Gibbs was exhausted, but he hoped she'd stay the night. He could use a night wrapped around her warm body.

"Sure, I'll just go grab my stuff from the lab. I'll meet you at your place."

Gibbs watched her go and then headed to the elevator. He waited until he was in his car, first calling to order a pizza and then dialing the number of the redhead that had been over the day before. If Tony was still chasing Cassidy, it meant he wasn't pursuing Abby. And if that was the case, he wasn't going to try and stay away from Abby.

"Hey Jethro," the redhead purred over the line. "You finally off work?"

"Sorry, this is gonna take a while."

"That's too bad. Well, give me a call when you've got some time. I think we should sit down and talk… you know, about where things are going."

"Things aren't going anywhere, you know that." It had been the first thing he'd made clear when they first hooked up over a year ago.

"You can't keep holding out hope for that _girl_ you work with."

Gibbs instantly regretted confessing some of his feelings to her. He had been in a foul mood right after Abby first hooked up with McGee and after a few rounds of bourbon had confessed that he wanted Abby. She offered to let him call her Abby when they fucked, but it had ruined the mood and he'd kicked her out, only welcoming her back in a few nights later after an apology and hearing that Abby was on another date. That had been the last time Abby had been brought up until now. Gibbs wanted to snap that he would _never_ stop holding out for her, but instead he snapped his phone shut. That was that.

* * *

TBC…

Thanks for the lovely reviews – with I could reply to the anon ones, but know that I appreciate them just as much!

And now it's back to gosgirl… _hurry._


	9. Chapter 9

Eek! Sorry about the delay!

* * *

Gibbs wasn't surprised to see that Abby had beaten him back to his house since he'd stopped for the pizza. She had made herself comfortable on the couch and was flipping through a magazine she must've brought with her.

He dropped the pizza box on the coffee table and then went for plates and napkins, grabbing the paper plates so clean up would be easy. They ate in companionable silence, relaxing from the stress of the day, both of them feeling sorry for Ducky.

"Sorry about earlier," Gibbs finally spoke. It was the first time either of them had ever mentioned anything about the physical relationship they shared.

"S'ok," Abby shrugged, "part of the job." She didn't want him to feel guilty about her not getting the chance to get off. It wasn't his fault and so much of her own pleasure came from being back to pleasure him. It was something she could do for him. She wanted more, but she knew he wasn't interested in any sort of commitment, so she didn't press. He never suggested anything more than what they were doing, never gave any indication that he wanted to fuck her and she supposed that made it easier for him to keep what they had in the _friends with benefits_ category. It wasn't ideal, but his mouth and fingers made it more than worth it.

Once they finished, Gibbs shifted and tugged until they were stretched out side by side on his couch, their chests pressed together. It's wasn't the most comfortable, but they were both exhausted and too tired to move elsewhere. It only took the gentlest of touches to her chin before her face was tilted up towards his for a kiss.

Abby couldn't think of anywhere she'd rather be as he kissed her – she felt safe, loved (even though he'd never said it) and perfectly content with her life. Kissing him back, she slowly teased her tongue between his lips and grinned as his hand tightened over her hip. This was new, just curled up together making out. It wasn't their first kiss, but most the time when she was over or she called him over, things progressed quickly and she usually found herself with her lips around his dick or his fingers inside her rather quickly. But this time he seemed to want to take his time – or just make out – she wasn't sure.

They kissed until she eventually pulled back for a jaw-popping yawn. Their day had been long and exhausting and now that she was so comfortable on the couch, Gibbs had kissed her stresses away.

"Bed," he whispered, his eyes sweeping over her red and swollen lips.

She nodded and together they got up and headed up stairs. They moved around each other as they got ready for bed, but as she reached for a shirt to sleep in, Gibbs shook his head and reached out, tracing his finger over her arm. "Let me feel your skin tonight."

There was something in the way he asked, something she couldn't quite pinpoint, but rather than change, she lifted her shirt off and then crawled between the sheets. Gibbs joined her moments later, pulling her to his chest and wrapping himself around her. She might not be _his_, not in the way he wanted, but for tonight… it didn't matter.

* * *

Waking with Gibbs was different this time compared to the other mornings. There was no post-sex satisfaction to cloud her feelings. Instead of the pleasurable ache between her legs, her chest felt heavy and warm, her heart a few sizes too big for her chest. Gibbs was wrapped around her, shielding her from the world. Her fingers were linked with his, their hands curled up to her chest. She could feel his dick pressed to her lower back and it twitched as he stirred. She smiled when she felt his lips press soft kisses to her shoulders.

Slipping a hand out of hers, Gibbs brought his down over her stomach to cup her warm mound in his palm, rubbing her over her panties.

"Mmm, this is a good way to wake up," Abby murmured softly.

"Won't disagree," Gibbs spoke against her shoulder.

"Gibbs..?"

Gibbs froze, the way she said his names wasn't the breathy moan he'd expected. "Hmm?"

Abby turned in the circle of his arms and was about to ask if he'd fuck her. She wanted to ask if he'd _make love_ to her, but she was weary of the 'l-word'. Just then their phones both started ringing. Gibbs grabbed his first and sighed. "It's DiNozzo…" he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and brought his phone to the bathroom so Abby could answer hers.

"Hey Kate, we have a case?"

"Yeah, Tony called me, he's calling Gibbs and I've gotta call McGee. Cops are already sending you neighborhood security footage. Once we hit the scene, I'm sure Gibbs will call if there is any more evidence for you to go over."

"Alright, I'll be in my lab in 20 minutes max." Abby hung up and was halfway dressed when Gibbs finished talking to Tony and returned.

"You were going to ask me something?" Gibbs asked as he slipped a white tee over his head and then a polo over that.

"Oh, uh… I don't remember now, nothing important, I'm sure," she lied. "I'll see you at work." She pressed a kiss to his cheek, grabbed her boots and headed down the stairs and out the door.

Abby was quiet most of the day until she found out she needed to try and get inside information on scarlet secrets website. She was fairly certain she was pushing her luck with giving her name as Miss Gibbs, but Gibbs seemed amused. McGee she noted seemed thrown at the idea of her calling herself Miss Gibbs. Kate had laughed and said that somehow it suited her and Tony had kept quiet on the whole thing.

* * *

Case after case had kept the busy and working long hours. With their schedule, it was almost a week later before Abby managed to get some relief from Gibbs. He pushed her into the far corner of the ballistics lab and slipped his fingers under her skirt, bringing her off in minutes. He intercepted Kate in the main part of the lab so Abby could collect herself and smooth her skirt back down. Abby repaid the favor a few hours later by giving him a blowjob in the elevator.

But as soon as Tony is chained to a convict, Abby's sole focus is getting him through the case. Every time they lose trace of him, her blood pressure goes up and she snapd at McGee over the smallest things. She knew it was the stress, but she just couldn't seem to help herself.

When Gibbs finally called into NCIS for Ducky and to _bring a bodybag_, Abby held her breath until she heard Tony say something in the background.

Abby was shocked at the amount of blood that was covering him when Gibbs finally brought him back. Rather than hug him, Abby grabbed him by the hand grabbed his change of clothes and led him to the shower, sitting just out of view as she waited for him to finish.

"You know, I think you're breaking all kinds of rules by being in the men's locker room." Tony joked from the shower.

"I've been so worried about you Tony, and I couldn't hug you with all the blood on you, so I'm here to get a hug as soon as you're dressed. Hurry up."

"You could always join me," he teased again. When Abby didn't answer, he froze. "The boss is here, too, isn't he?"

"Hurry up with your shower, DiNozzo. I can't keep everyone else out forever."

"Yes, boss. Sorry, boss." Tony finished rinsing and grabbed a towel. As soon as he was dry he slipped his underwear, socks and jeans on and came around the corner, carrying his shirt. Abby was hugging him instantly, her nose pressed to his chest and her arms wrapped tightly around his middle. As soon as she was done, he slipped his shirt over his head and Gibbs waved them both out of the bathroom. There were a few guys waiting right outside that gave Tony a weird look, but Abby snapped her fingers at them and narrowed her eyes and they quickly scattered.

"Impressive, Abbs." Gibbs knew that most people in the building had a healthy respect for Abby, but he'd never seen her command respect like that before.

"Tony could've been in a body bag today, they don't need to be rude." She linked her arm through Tony's and rested her head on his shoulder. "Can we go grab beers down the street tonight?"

* * *

For a few days, Abby's focus is turned completely on Tony. Making sure he's not suffering from nightmares, he's eating right, getting enough sleep, etc. He's half tempted to tell her he _is_ having nightmares and ask if she'll spend the night. He can't complain that the extra attention is nice, but Gibbs keeps staring at him as if he trying to think of what he wants to say – only nothing is ever said.

But as soon as Gibbs seems smitten with a woman involved in their investigation, Abby seemed to draw away from them both and all her focus fell on their case. Tony wondered if it was because she's jealous of Karen Wilkerson while Gibbs wondered if Karen could be the perfect distraction to get over Abby.

But when McGee calls and interrupts his date in the basement, he can't help but think of turning to Abby. She's mildly annoyed at being called in to work on evidence, but when she realized that it ended up throwing Wilkerson under the bus, she chattered happily to Kate until the computer beeped. She rushed up to the squad room and handed Gibbs the evidence, bouncing happily on her heels. "We got 'er!" For a few brief moments she felt bad – Gibbs looked so… disappointed, but in the long run… it was for the best. Gibbs told the others to grab their gear, kissed Abby's cheek and sent her on her way.

It was late by the time Karen was locked up. Gibbs debated on calling Abby, but in the end decided that she was likely asleep already, so he headed home alone to spend the night in the basement.

For a few weeks their hook ups at work were more and more frequent until it was nearly a daily thing. But then, when Ducky nearly ended up on his own table after a near miss with being embalmed alive, Abby's protective side came out strong, and she saw to it to look after Ducky and his mother. Ducky seemed overwhelmed by the extra attention, but Abby took her self-appointed duty serious, much to the amusement of Gibbs and his entire team.

After a week, Ducky pulled Gibbs aside. "She's turning into you, you've got to find something else for her to do. She's a young, vibrant woman. She doesn't need to spend every waking moment making sure I'm okay. We've added extra security precautions to the house, we're fine."

"I dunno, Ducky," Gibbs patted his friend on the shoulder. "She's doing a pretty good job. Thinking about letting her become an agent."

"Jethro!"

"Ah, c'mon Duck. She's worried. We all were. She lost her father a long time ago, and for the past several years, you've stepped into that role for her. Give her a few more days to fuss. She'll get over it soon enough.

"Hey Ducky!" Abby strolled into autopsy carrying her caf-pow, much the same way Gibbs strolled in with his coffee.

Ducky looked to Gibbs, but Gibbs didn't give any indication of helping, so Ducky decided to give her some more time. "Abigail, was thinking of a roast for dinner. That sound good?"

"Oh, actually, I was coming to tell you that I've been invited to a birthday party, so I can't come over tonight."

"Oh. Okay." Ducky fought a smile as Gibbs gave him a look that said _I told you so_. "Well then, I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

TBC

Fear not, things will be starting to move along in the next chapter or two. So um, gosgirl… 8 more chapters from you? Please & Thank you!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

For weeks Tony replayed the conversation between himself, Abby and Kate – the one where they discussed men and women being friends. Kate had been adamant that they could be _just_ friends without sleeping together. Abby had laughed and said _oh no, they'll most certainly sleep together_. She still hadn't given any indication of having slept with Tony. But he just couldn't move past it. He felt like a horny animal every time she wore a short skirt to work.

But at least now he would had a week in Panama with his frat brothers as headed on vacation for spring break.

"Hey, she's a hottie," Steve nodded to a blonde a few chairs down the bar. "She's been eyeing you all night."

Tony smiled at the woman and then sent a glare to his friend. "She looks dumber than a brick. Her tank top is inside out."

"So," Steve shrugged. "Never stopped you before."

"Well, it's been a few years." Tony cringed when he felt a delicate hand on his shoulder. "Uh, can I help you..?" He turned to face the blonde.

"I've got my own room at the hotel across the street," she slurred. "If you're interested."

"I've actually got a girlfriend, but my friend Steve is a good guy," Tony slid off the chair and patted Steve's shoulder. He left them to talk, and moved over to his friend John. "Dare I say, I'm getting too old for random hook-ups?"

"Nah, it's all good. Come sit with us, we all promised our wives to behave. Ignore Steve, well… he looks like he's leaving with the blonde chick, so…"

"Hey man, I didn't know you got hitched," Kevin clapped his shoulder. "Why didn't I get an invite?"

"I'm not married to anyone but my job," Tony laughed. "No time for that stuff."

"But you're in love, I can see it in your eyes."

Tony shrugged. "It's complicated."

"It's not that Kate chick, is it?" John asked.

"No… no no no." Tony had told them about her the first night in Panama City when he spotted her wet t-shirt contest photo. "Not Kate, she… she's nice, a pretty girl, but she's like the sister I never wanted. It's… you don't know her, she's sweet, different than anyone I've ever dated, but it's complicated, so…"

"Aw man, he's got it bad," Kevin commented. "Anytime you wanna talk about it, you let me know."

"Abby!" Tony stormed into the bar and threw his bag on the floor. "Why would you help Kate like that?"

"Like what?" She asked innocently.

"The gay cowboy? She _accidentally_ sent it to Gibbs!"

Abby's hand flew up to her mouth as she gasped. "I did _not_ see that one coming. But don't worry, he'll know it's fake and coming from Kate… don't worry about it. Plus, if anything, you look hot as a cowboy. Kinda that whole YMCA thing, you know?"

"I'm mortified, how will I walk into the squad room tomorrow?"

"As long as you aren't wearing ass-less chaps, I think you'll be fine." Gibbs' voice interrupted.

"Oh my God, I can't even…" Tony grabbed his bag and rushed out, his cheeks the color of tomatoes.

"Giiiibbs, that wasn't nice!"

Gibbs chuckled and ordered a beer. "He'll be fine."

"Just… don't make any cowboy references, okay?"

"Yee-haw."

* * *

"_Oh my God,"_ Abby stopped in her tracks when the elevator doors opened and Gibbs stepped out followed by Kate and Tony leading Gunnery Sgt. Leeka. Gibbs was bloodied and bruised nearly just as much as Leeka. She knew he would accept no comfort or care with Leeka around, so she kept quiet and watched as they headed for an interrogation room. As soon as they were gone, she rushed down to autopsy. Ducky had long since gone home, but she knew exactly where he kept the big first aid kit. She found a plastic bag and picked out everything she thought she might need and then headed to watch the interrogation. Despite the blood dripping from his lip and nose, Gibbs ran the interrogation as if nothing was wrong. Leeka didn't last long and soon Tony was hauling him out and signing him over to a transport team to get him the medical attention he needed and then to jail.

When she finally stepped into the hallway, Gibbs was standing with his back to the wall. His eyes were shut and it was obvious he was in pain. "I'm taking you home, Gibbs."

He turned his head to look at her, but didn't give any indication of putting up a fight. She took a hesitant step forward and took his hand in hers and then slowly led him to the elevators. "We'll take my car and then I'll bring you to work in the morning unless I can convince you to take tomorrow off."

He said nothing, but the look he shot her said that he would accept the ride home, but taking a day off was out of the question. They were quiet on the ride back to his place, giving them both time to think. Abby led him upstairs and gently worked his shirt off. She then used a wash cloth to clean the blood from his lip and nose before starting a hot shower. "I'll put some antiseptic ointment on once you're out." She noticed that he seemed a bit unsteady as he leaned forward to take his shoes off, so she pushed his hands away to do it herself.

He put up a bit of a fight, but she stood again with her hands on her hips. "Gibbs, let me help you. It's nothing that I haven't already seen." She held his gaze for another long minute before he gave in and let her help him undress.

She watched as he slowly stepped into the shower, using the wall to steady himself. She debated stripping and joining him, but Gibbs showing any sign of weakness and the fact that he was even allowing her in the bathroom with him was a huge step, so she decided not to push it. Once she was sure he wasn't going to fall over, she went to his bedroom and gathered underwear, sweatpants and a white tee for him to change into and carried it all back to the bathroom. He didn't take long and soon she was helping him to dress and then cleaning up the worst of the cuts. "I'll heat up some soup and grab an icepack, why don't you go lay down. I'll carry it all up in a minute."

"I'm not sick, Abbs."

"I know, but you're hurt and you need to rest so your body can heal." She didn't give him much of a choice, turning and leaving before he could argue. She dug an icepack from the freezer and pulled out a can of soup. She poured it into a bowl and started it in the microwave as she hurried back upstairs with the ice for his nose and lip. "Here, use this while I finish up your dinner."

He took the icepack and held it to his face. It wasn't the most comfortable, but the cold helped sooth the steady ache.

Abby returned a short while later with a tray carrying his soup, some crackers, a glass of water and something to take the edge off the pain. She set the tray over his lap and then climbed onto the bed and stretched out next to him, watching as he started on the soup. "Take the pills."

Gibbs did as he was told and then glanced over at Abby. "You've gotta eat too."

"Had some crackers downstairs."

"Not enough."

"I'm fine, Gibbs, really." She sat up and leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder. "Hate seeing you like this."

"You don't have to stay."

"Gibbs!" Abby sat up and looked at him, her eyes wide and a look of hurt on her face.

His expression softened. "Sorry, I know you're just trying to help."

Abby looked down at her lap and twisted her fingers together. They sat quietly while Gibbs finished. They each took one last turn in the bathroom and then pulled back the covers. "C'mere, Abbs…" he reached out for her. Abby was grateful he wanted to hold her.

* * *

"Just… stay safe, okay?"

The second Gibbs saw the white cloud blow from the envelope he knew something was wrong. He equally wanted to shake and hug Tony at the same time, but his level head kept him calm and he got them all to the showers and then to quarantine.

He also knew the minute that the blood samples were done that it was Tony that had caught the worse of it. He felt marginally better that Kate was headed to the hospital as well – he didn't want Tony to completely freak out if he was alone.

But what he hadn't expected was to see Tony so close to death when he finally made it to the hospital. He was past being infectious, but at this point it was a waiting game. He strolled up to Tony's bedside and wasn't sure what to say. He wanted to reassure Tony that he would be fine, but if he came across worried, it would no doubt panic Tony even more. So he settled for a gentle head-slap, almost a pet, and demanded that he didn't die.

He surprised himself by wanting to kiss the younger man's forehead. Wanting to hold him. Tell him he was there for him. But he held back, settling for holding Tony's hand briefly before handing him his cell phone. "You'd better take care of this, some woman keeps calling for spanky."

"On it boss," Tony took in a ragged breath. "But why give me the phone now…"

Gibbs was half way to the door when he turned back to his agent. "Call Abby. Tell her its safe for her to come see you." He felt a pang of jealousy go through his gut. Abby wasn't his – he couldn't give her what she needed, but with the way Tony was looking at her, he suspected Tony could. And he knew that this could very well be the catalyst to push them together.

He was just reaching for the door when Abby rushed in. "Is he…?"

"Relax, he'll be alright." He hated to see the worry on her face and he hated that he couldn't promise Tony would be okay. "Stay with him, okay?"

"I will." Abby nodded and hugged Gibbs before hurrying to Tony's bedside.

"Wow, that was quick, haven't even called you yet," Gibbs heard Tony say. And for the first time since the envelope was opened, Tony sounded okay.

* * *

"You don't have to stay, Kate. I'll be here."

"You're sure?"

Abby nodded. "You could use some rest too. Call McGee, he'll pick you up and take you come." Abby took Kate's bed and wheeled it up beside Tony's bed.

Tony waited until Kate was gone. "She was never infected, was she?"

"No," Abby shook her head. "She just didn't want you to go through it alone."

"You don't have to stay, you know." He could only imagine she'd rather be with Gibbs.

"Tony, you almost died." She reached out and laced her fingers with his. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay." He wasn't sure how to respond to that. No one had ever wanted stay with him when he was sick or hurt, but it was nice and her hand was warm -something to draw comfort from. He didn't want to fall asleep – he had been struggling so hard, he still wasn't sure that he wouldn't die in his sleep. Abby seemed to pick up on his nerves because suddenly he felt her nudging him over. "Abby?"

"My bed is too far away, move over."

Tony did as he was told, and suddenly Abby was curled up next to him, her arms wrapped around him. "Let me know if it's hard to breathe with my arms around you, okay?"

Tony nodded and relaxed into her arms. He'd gladly struggle to breathe if it meant he could spend the night with her again, even if they had clothes on.

* * *

TBC…

Super looking forward to post the next chapter – yes it deals with Kate's death, but I'm having lots of fun writing it. As bad as that sounds. *ahem* Gosgirl…?


	11. Chapter 11

I've been struggling with how to fit in canon events & people – Hollis, Jeanne, etc. But I think I've finally figured it out.

* * *

Abby was numb as she moved around the lab. She refused to believe that Kate was really gone, but every time she nearly had herself convinced, the weight of it all came crashing down. Sitting at her desk, Abby stared down at the sketch Kate had done of her – putting her head on the body of a bat. A giggle bubbled up as she remembered Kate getting a tattoo. She could imagine Kate telling her to put her hair back up and her lipstick on. She wasn't Abby without her trademarks.

"You're acting weirder than Gibbs."

"How so?" Abby turned in her chair to look at Tony, her own sadness reflecting in Tony's eyes.

"He's being nice."

"Gibbs is always nice."

"Maybe to you and Ducky, me he smacks on the head and growls at me."

Abby smiled as Tony reached out to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "Which makes you feel wanted." She tried to pull herself together enough to rattle off the results she had, but it only left her in tears, crying against Tony's chest. She was just about to pull back and try and pull herself together when the window shattered and a bullet whizzed past Abby's head. They hit the floor together and Tony scrambled toward the table below the window, dragging Abby with him.

"You okay?" He hugged her close, his hands running up and down her arms, along her neck, checking for any injuries.

"I'm okay."

"Abby!" Gibbs hurried into the lab, hitting the lights at the same time.

"I'm okay, we're okay…" She let Gibbs pull her into a tight hug, soaking in the warmth of his body, despite the fact that he was soaking wet from being outside.

"DiNozzo call the cops and get to Anacostia Park – it's where the shot came from. Block the whole thing off." Gibbs turned his head to press a kiss to the side of Abby's head.

"He's after me now, isn't he?"

"I was standing right outside the window."

"He wouldn't have missed, he wants to kill me next."

"I will get you bulletproof glass."

"No such thing."

Gibbs swallowed against the lump in his throat, unable to let his emotions get the best of him until Ari was dead. "I won't let him get you, Abbs. I promise." He knew Ari was long gone for the night, but it didn't stop him from posting security everywhere he could. It would take a few days for new glass to go in, so he had them board up the windows before he allowed Abby back in the lab to finish up for the night.

Once she was done she came up the squad room and hesitated in the corner, staring at Kate's empty desk.

"Come on, Abbs… let me take you home." Gibbs reached out his hand to her. There was nothing more they could do for the night and without a bit of sleep, they would be useless in finding Ari.

"I… I can't." She shook her head, unable to tear her eyes away from the empty desk.

"Gibbs is right," Tony approached from the side and wrapped her up in a tight hug. "Kate would tell you to get some rest, too."

Abby let go of a ragged sigh and hugged herself to Tony. She rested her head against his chest and looked to Gibbs. "Can Tony come too?"

Gibbs nodded. McGee, Ducky and Palmer had already left for the night, so he didn't feel obligated to invite them all over – not that he had room for everyone anyway. They grabbed their things and headed out, the guard assigned to Abby following behind. Tony climbed into the back seat of the car after helping Abby into the passenger seat. Gibbs drove them back to his house and told Abby's guard to watch from his car, parked across the street. He didn't think Ari would follow him home after the near miss; he was too smart and knew security would be at an all-time high, but he wanted to err on the side of caution.

Gibbs locked up behind them and made a round of the house, clearing all the bedrooms and the basement – double checking everything was locked up before returning to find Abby in the kitchen making coffee, and Tony sitting on the couch with his head between his hands.

"DiNozzo..?"

"First Kate, then we nearly lost Abby… not sure I can handle it boss."

Gibbs grabbed a bottle of bourbon from the bookshelf and sat beside Tony. He reached out and squeezed the back of Tony's neck. "We can't do anything for Kate now, but we can make sure nothing happens to Abby."

Tony looked up and nodded.

Gibbs held out the bottle of bourbon. They needed coffee, but something a little stronger would help them to relax. Tony took the bottle and downed a large gulp before handing it to Gibbs. Abby came around the corner carrying cups of coffee on a tray and then perched on the edge of the couch, unsure of what to say or do as the two men kept sharing the bourbon.

"I should have gone into autopsy when Ari first was around. I'd have killed him and this never would've happened," Abby cried.

"Hey…" Gibbs pulled her down onto his lap and kissed her forehead. "You can't blame yourself; you don't know what would've happened." Not to mention, he should've killed him when he had the chance. He couldn't let Abby carry the same guilt.

"Gibbs is right," Tony leaned into them, hugging himself close to the both of them.

"She shouldn't have died," Abby sobbed.

"No, she shouldn't have, but it's a danger of our job," Tony cupped Abby's face in his hands. "But you… we will keep you safe – Gibbs will keep you safe, _I _will keep you safe." Without thinking, he leaned in and pressed a rough kiss to her lips, promising everything with words and his actions. It was enough to quiet her, but suddenly Tony was on a roll. "We will get him and he will pay. I will not lose you, either of you. Not Ducky, not McGee, not Palmer, no one. We will get him before he can hurt any of us, okay? Okay?" He had been joking with Kate about her bullet proof vest, when he'd suddenly been covered in a mist of her blood.

Abby leaned back against Gibbs, almost as if she were in shock at the sudden roll Tony was on, the tension bubbling up in his veins. He had lost so much in his life, he wasn't about to lose anyone else.

"Tony-" Gibbs tried to stop him, but it didn't work. When that didn't work, Gibbs found himself using the same tactic Tony had used on Abby. Holding Abby so she didn't move from his lap, Gibbs leaned in and pressed a kiss to Tony's lips, effectively cutting him off. "We're not losing anyone else."

Abby was quiet as Tony stared at Gibbs. "Why did you do that?" Tony touched his fingers to his lips.

Gibbs shrugged. "I don't know, but it shut you up. None of us saw it coming, you're not to blame." For a second Gibbs wasn't sure if he was talking about Kate or their kiss.

Abby started crying again, burying her face against Gibbs' chest. "It could be either of you next time," she sobbed.

Tony leaned in again to murmur reassurances in her ear.

She held tight to both of them as they held her. Gibbs struggled to keep control of his emotions – grief was starting to take hold of him, constricting his heart in a way he hadn't felt for years. He pressed a kiss to Abby's temple as Tony nuzzled her cheek. Since Tony hadn't jumped away when he kissed him earlier, Gibbs found himself pressing a kiss to Tony's forehead next.

Tony's eyes fell shut and he sighed, bringing his arm up to wrap around Gibbs' shoulders. Gibbs was strong – the strongest of the three of them by far, but he knew Gibbs took it personally that Kate had died. It didn't matter that there hadn't been anything any of them could've done. When Gibbs moved back to kiss Abby's cheek and run his fingers through her hair, Tony found himself following in Gibbs' footsteps and he kissed the older man's temple and then cheek. And then, when Abby buried against his chest, tucking her head under his chin, Tony found himself turning Gibbs' face towards his to kiss him on the lips.

Gibbs responded instantly, returning Tony's kiss and tightening his arms around Abby. As Abby tried to uncurl from her spot tucked under Gibbs' chin, Gibbs turned away from Tony's kiss, to kiss Abby, trying to pour everything he felt into a kiss rather than be forced to say it out loud. They continued to share kisses between the three of them, and Abby was the first to become aware of Gibbs' arousal as she sat in his lap. She pulled away from Tony's kiss and turned to look at Gibbs. "Gibbs, please…"

He knew what she was asking and he nodded, willing to do anything for her.

Tony wasn't sure what he missed, but he watched as she slipped off Gibbs' lap, and Gibbs got up after her. When Gibbs turned to face Tony, Tony could see the obvious erection in Gibbs' pants and it slowly dawned on him where they were headed and what they were going to do. His ego felt deflated until Gibbs spoke. "Coming with?"

Tony was speechless, holding Gibbs' gaze for what seemed like minutes, maybe even hours. He glanced over at Abby as she stood at the base of the stairs. She reached out her hand in an invitation, and Tony suddenly found himself following her up the stairs to Gibbs' bedroom. Once they were upstairs, Gibbs moved to the bedroom window and looked out over the street, double checking that the agent was still posted across the street. Once he was satisfied that all was well, he pulled the drapes and moved to Abby, helping her to sit on the edge of the bed and remove her boots. Tony undressed slowly, wondering what he was getting himself into, but very interested in seeing where things were going. It was the first time he'd really gotten a good look at Gibbs' naked body, but he wasn't disappointed. Even naked, the man commanded respect. "How are we..?"

Abby figured that it would be the same as usual, fingers, mouths… mutually bringing each other off. She didn't have much energy from some marathon session and she figured the guys felt the same. They needed release and then the needed the comfort of a warm body so they could try and get some sleep.

"Say no if you don't…" Tony shifted uncomfortably, "but um… boss… can you, will you… uhh…"

"You want me to fuck you, DiNozzo?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah."

Abby's head snapped up and she looked to Gibbs for his response. "You ever done that before?" He hadn't, but he trusted Tony.

"Yeah, once. Long time ago."

"I have lotion, no lube. That work?"

Abby suddenly found herself out of the equation and unsure of what to do. She watched as Gibbs grabbed the lotion from the bathroom.

"I just… you need to go slow." Tony positioned himself at the edge of the bed and then reached out for Abby, bringing her over to sit beside him. "Let Gibbs get settled and then I want you, too."

Abby nodded, still in shock that Gibbs was so willing to fuck Tony. She watched with quiet curiosity as Gibbs stretched Tony and then slowly pushed inside, her eyes flicking from Gibbs as he entered Tony, to the look of pleasured pain on Tony's face. Once Gibbs was seated comfortably inside, he stroked Tony a few times and reached to Abby, helping her straddle Tony.

Abby's sadness over Kate faded as she became more and more focused on their current situation. She was slow to slide down over Tony, in Gibbs focus to make sure Tony wasn't hurt, they hadn't even checked that she was wet. She was, to a point, but the friction as she moved over Tony wasn't as pleasurable as it should have been.

She closed her eyes and steadied herself with her hands on Tony's chest and had a suddenly flash of a memory. Her eyes opened when Gibbs' arms wrapped around her middle from behind. When she registered Tony below her, another memory flashed behind her eyes and her mouth opened in a tight 'o'.

Tony reached up for her and pulled her down into a bruising kiss, as if to confirm her memory. This wasn't the first time they had been together.

Tony cried out as Gibbs started to move inside him, and urged him on. He tried to push against Gibbs and at the same time push up into Abby. He was surrounded by pleasure and for the time being he couldn't even remember what had brought them all together.

Gibbs wrapped his arms tighter around Abby and rested his forehead against her shoulder. The sensation was like nothing he'd ever experienced. He knew he was fucking Tony, but having Abby wrapped up in his arms, her scent overwhelming him, it was like he was fucking them both at once. Tony was the first to come, he tensed around Gibbs and his hips snapped in shorter strokes before he completely relaxed. Gibbs could tell Abby was close, so he dropped one hand down her abdomen to rub his fingers over her clit. He nipped at her neck and tugged at her nipples, bringing her off moments before he lost himself in his own explosion of pleasure.

As soon as he was done, Gibbs staggered backward to rest against the dresser, his chest raising and falling as he struggled to catch his breath. Abby slowly moved off Tony, resting on her stomach to catch her own breath, and Tony scooted up so that he could stretch out.

"I'm just… I'm just gonna clean up," Gibbs motioned for them to get comfortable while he headed for the bathroom.

Abby waited until Gibbs was out of the room before looking at Tony. "That wasn't the first time we've…"

Tony shook his head. "We were drunk, you didn't remember and I didn't want you to feel… I dunno," he shrugged and then reached out for her. "Don't be mad."

Abby shook her head. "I'm not mad, I feel awful. I should have… you should've told me."

"It's no big deal," Tony tugged her into his arms just as Gibbs came back in. Tony shifted toward the outside edge, pulled Abby to the center and waited until Gibbs was settled beside them before finally relaxing. "Night."

Tony was snoring before either could answer.

* * *

TBC…

Obviously it won't be smooth sailing, but…

GOSGIRL – GO!


	12. Chapter 12

Thanks to everyone reading/following along. I'm really having fun with this – esp. the next few chapters. ;)

* * *

If he expected someone to bolt from the bed, Gibbs would've assumed it would've been Tony. But when his eyes fluttered open and he saw Tony sprawled across the other side of the bed and an empty spot between them, he felt his gut twist. It was still early, but he couldn't just lie there and wait for Tony to wake and he certainly couldn't fall back asleep, so he moved quietly from the bed. He pulled on a pair of sweats and headed downstairs. He was halfway to the kitchen when he registered the soft cries coming from the living room. He back tracked his steps and switched on the overhead light. Abby was curled up on the corner of the couch, her arms wrapped around her knees as she sat crying quietly. "Abby…"

She looked up at him, her eyes red and swollen, "I miss her. I miss her so much."

Gibbs let out a ragged sigh – partly in relief that Abby hadn't run from him and Tony, but also because he knew that their actions were merely a drop in the bucket against the grief they all felt. "I know," he nodded. He sat beside her and pulled her into his arms, stroking his fingers through her hair as she continued to cry. He knew there was nothing he could do to make her feel better, nothing he could say to keep the grief away. The only thing he could offer was his support. It wasn't much, but it was something.

Tony woke slowly, confused as to where he was. The sheets weren't silky and the mattress a little more firm than his own. But then flashes of the night before fluttered through his mind, and then there was the pleasurable ache as he moved and stretched.

It was still early judging by the soft light filtering in through the curtains, but he was alone and that had him on edge. He wasn't surprised to know that Gibbs was awake already, but to find that Abby wasn't still asleep had him worried. He got up and changed into the clothes he'd been wearing the previous day and headed down the stairs. The lights were on and he found Gibbs sitting on the couch. Abby was curled up next to him, her head resting on his lap as she slept, balled up tissues in her hands.

"Woke up and found her down here crying, didn't mean to leave you alone upstairs," Gibbs whispered quietly.

"S'okay," Tony sat beside Gibbs and wrapped his arm around the older man's shoulders. "Gonna be a rough few weeks, months… isn't it?"

Gibbs nodded. "Gonna be rough for a while." He lifted a hand to cup Tony's cheek and pressed his lips to his forehead. They let Abby sleep until the very last minute, but they couldn't wait too long. They had a cold blooded killer to catch. They stopped by Tony's apartment first so he could grab a quick shower and change and then they swung by Abby's so she could do the same.

Gibbs had been more than surprised to learn about the new director, but with everything surrounding the case – leaving McGee to babysit Abby, Ducky meeting with Ari and Tony tailing Ziva, Gibbs didn't have time to think about the red head that once graced his bed – more than once – over six years ago. He was more concerned about keeping his _family_ safe.

They moment he headed down the steps to his basement, Gibbs was glad he'd indicated he needed some time alone. Seeing Ari sitting in his basement, holding his gun, Gibbs could only imagine what might've happened had Abby been there, or Tony. Now his biggest concern was that Abby would be the one to find him, having driven over in the middle of the night after a nightmare.

"I want you to know, I didn't want to shoot Caitlin."

"Why did you?"

"To cause you pain."

"I piss you off that much?"

"Not you, my father. You have the misfortune of reminding me of him…"

Gibbs was tired. Tired of fighting. Tired of worrying about those he cared about. He was almost ready to just give up when he heard the slightest creaks of the floorboards. He'd spent so much of his life over the past 15 years down in the basement, he recognized even the slightest movements that most would just attribute to the age of the house.

Seeing the blood pool from Ari's head was a type of satisfaction he hadn't felt… in years. He turned to watch Ziva as she slowly came down the stairs and he put two and two together to figure out they were related. He closed a warm hand over her shoulder, acknowledging her loss.

He gave her a few moments alone and then called Ducky to come pick up the body. Ziva left before anyone else arrived, telling Gibbs she couldn't report back that she had been the one to kill him. Gibbs agreed and watched her leave before settling on the basement steps to wait for the body to be picked up. Ducky was quick, doing the very basics to confirm time and cause of death before packing him up to go to the morgue, leaving Gibbs to clean up the blood.

Gibbs grabbed some gloves and a few rolls of paper towel, bleach and some old towels. There wasn't too much to clean up and by the time he was done, the basement smelled of bleach, but there was no sign of anything left on the floor. He debated crashing on the couch, but he decided that he needed the warmth of a body to curl up with.

Abby was closest and without the alcohol to get things going, he wasn't sure if Tony would be open to him just showing up. But upon letting himself into Abby's apartment, and finding it empty, he headed to Tony's anyway, wanting to be sure she was okay. If she wasn't at Tony's he would worry.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled into a parking spot next to Abby's car. He wondered if they were maybe asleep already. If Abby was safe, he wondered if he should just let them sleep, but suddenly he found himself at Tony's door, his knuckles tapping against the door.

* * *

Abby hadn't been surprised that Gibbs wanted to go home alone, but she wasn't ready for the solitude of her apartment, the memory of Kate still haunting her every time she closed her eyes. Tony read her need and with a quick nod, he invited her over to his place.

She swung by her place first to grab a change of clothes and to pack a bag for Kate's funeral. The agency had been kind enough to book them a private flight to Kate's hometown for the service and they were leaving the following day. She tried not to look at any of the team photos as she moved around her apartment and managed to get to Tony's place before she started crying.

He held her close as she cried, letting her work through the sadness rather than try to dissuade her from crying. Eventually she calmed down and they made a simple dinner, both of them pushing the food around their plates.

"Tony…"

"Hmm?"

"I'm really sorry."

Tony looked up. "For what?"

"For… for not remembering that we… I would never want you to think that I was just pretending it never happened. I mean, you're seriously packin' and I… I'm not ashamed or anything like that."

"Hey, it's no big deal. We had _a lot _to drink, so it's not a surprise that you didn't remember. I didn't even remember right away and even then I wasn't sure if it had maybe been a dream or something. Sometimes I felt like maybe I should have said something, you know? I kinda felt like maybe I took advantage of the situation."

"No," Abby got up from the table and circled around to sit on his lap, cupping his face in her hands. "You never took advantage of me. No matter how drunk I am, if I'm not interested, I say no. I never said no, did I?"

"No… you certainly never said no." Tony smiled at her and turned his head to press a kiss to her palm. "Can I take you bed?" he asked, "I'd really like to forget about the rest of the world for a while."

Abby nodded and moved off his lap. "Me too."

He leaned forward to capture her lips in a kiss, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. He slipped his hands down her back, over the swell of her ass, and down to the backs of her thighs, lifting her up so he could carry her through to his bedroom.

Tony wanted the chance to go slow with her, explore every inch of her – do the things he hadn't gotten to do their first time together, but their need to overcome the overwhelming sense of grief outweighed everything else. "Tony… you're thinking too much…"

Tony snapped back to reality to see that Abby already had her shirt and skirt off and was sitting on the edge of the bed working on her boots. "Sorry," he pulled his shirt off and kicked off his shoes. "So many things I want to do to you, just trying to plot out my advances," he teased, feeling the stress slowly melt away as she reached for the clasp of her bra. "Wait! Let me take that off of you."

Abby waited patiently as Tony stripped down to his boxers and then stepped closer. He turned her to face the bed and pressed soft kisses to her shoulder as he unhooked her bra. He smoothed his palms over her skin as he pushed the straps off her shoulders and down her arms, letting her bra fall to the floor. "Tony, please…" She couldn't just keep standing there.

"I know," he whispered against her ear, "just give me a minute." He cupped her breasts in his hands and rolled her nipples between his thumbs and pointer fingers before pushing both his hands down over her stomach to her hips, hooking his fingers in her panties and working them down as far as he could without having to move. He slipped his middle finger between her slick folds, caressing her softly. "How, Abby?"

"Hmm?"

"How do you want me to fuck you?" Once he got started, he was sure it would be quick. His body needed the release and he didn't think he could hold on for long, thus he was going to bring her close first.

She opened her mouth to answer, but Tony flicked his finger over her clit, turning her response into a breathy moan.

"Abby, you need to tell me."

"I… I can't." She shuddered in his arms and pressed back against him, trapping his erection against her lower back.

He pulled away briefly, though maintaining some contact so she wouldn't worry. He pushed her panties the rest of the way down her legs so she could kick them off, and then pushed his boxers down. He stepped up behind her again and started stroking over her clit again.

"Tony," she breathed heavily, "I thought you were going to – nggh." If he didn't do something soon, she was going to finish soon.

"So wet, Abby… so fucking wet." He pushed two fingers into her and continued to assault her clit with his thumb.

"Tony, please…." She was so close, at this point she didn't care what he had planned, she wasn't going to last much longer.

Pushing her forward onto the bed, Tony pushed himself inside her from behind, and wrapped his arms around her, thrusting into her rapidly. He felt the instant she squeezed her legs together, creating a vice-like grip on him. He dropped his hand again to find her clit, rubbing at a furious pace until she cried out and pushed his hand away, the pressure too much for her as she rode out her orgasm. It took another two thrusts before he was groaning through his own orgasm, clinging to her body as he floated on his post-orgasm haze.

It had been quick, and almost animal like in the way they moved together once they were joined, but it did the job, and then both moved fluidly as they settled in the center of the bed, tangling their over-headed limbs. "Thank you," Abby snuggled against his chest and flattened her tongue over one of his nipples.

"Pretty sure I should be the one thanking you," he tilted her chin up toward his for a gentle kiss. He craved her soft reassurance now almost more than he had the physical release. They continued to kiss until Abby pulled away, fighting a yawn. He pulled her in close and ran a hand up and down her back until she was sound asleep.

He was drifting on the edge of sleep himself when he heard a quiet but firm knock on his front door.

* * *

"Boss?"

Gibbs took in the fact that Tony looked half asleep and it looked as though his boxers had been hastily pulled on to answer the door. "Abby's here? She's safe?"

Tony nodded and stepped back to let Gibbs inside. "You okay?"

"He's dead. Ari's dead."

Tony's head snapped up. "How… what happened?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Doesn't matter, s'all over now." Gibbs glanced toward Tony's bedroom. "She asleep?"

"Yeah." Tony watched as Gibbs let out a sigh of relief, as if he was finally able to let go of the stress he'd be carrying. "Come to bed with us?"

Gibbs nodded. He hadn't been able to ask, so he was glad for the offer. He waited as Tony locked up again and then followed the younger man to the bedroom. Abby was in the center of the bed, the blankets tangled in her legs. It was clear she was naked and he looked forward to curling up around her, knowing the warmth of her bare skin would soothe him. But at the same time, he felt guilty that he hadn't been with them longer. He could still detect Abby's familiar scent in the air with a hint of something more masculine. He started to undress and when he sat to slide his pants off his legs, he looked up when Tony placed a warm hand on his shoulder. "Want me to take care of you?" He asked quietly. "You could fuck me again if you want."

"Tony…" he was exhausted, but at the same time, he wanted it. Wanted something.

Tony dropped gracefully to his knees in front of Gibbs. "Let me…"

With a gentle nod, Gibbs stood enough to work his underwear down and then leaned back on his hands as Tony took him in his hands. He was grateful that Tony wasn't trying to drag things out, instead he worked quickly, using his hands and mouth to bring Gibbs off. There was a deep grunt, Gibbs' hand tightened in his hair and then a warm explosion over his tongue. He continued to suck until Gibbs softened in his mouth, and then pulled away to sit back on his heels. He looked up at Gibbs and smiled when Gibbs reached out to cup his cheek, the older man's thumb smoothing over his skin as he thanked him.

Tony nodded and moved to his feet. "Let's get some sleep." He circled around the bed to get back to his original spot.

Gibbs slipped in between the sheets and curled up around Abby.

"Gibbs?" she mumbled sleepily, turning to him. She pulled Tony's arm around her middle and snuggled into Gibbs' chest, her hands smoothing over his skin, automatically checking for injury.

"Sleep Abbs, everything is okay."

* * *

TBC…


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Despite their deep loss, life at NCIS had to continue. The loss of Kate and the shakeup in the director's office had everyone on edge. Although he no longer had Ari hanging over him, Gibbs found himself focusing on the next few cases just as intently. Occasionally he would snag Abby's hand in her lab and they would sneak away to the elevator, going back to their quick hook ups, though they weren't so frequent as they had been and at times, Abby had seemed distracted.

At one point he and Tony jerked each other off before a long drive back from a crime scene.

"Hey boss…" Tony trailed off when he saw Paula Cassidy standing beside Gibbs as they looked over something on the flat screen. "Cassidy," he grinned.

Paula sent a smile his way before refocusing on what Gibbs was saying.

"He's set to be executing this weekend, isn't he?" Tony dropped his bag behind his desk and moved to stand beside Paula. They were looking at a photo of Kyle Boone – someone Gibbs had put away years ago.

"He is," Paula agreed. "But he's willing to open up about the rest of the victims we've never found if he can talk to Gibbs."

Tony scowled and shook his head. "Sounds like he's trying to play games and get a last tour outside his jail cell. Don't waste your time, boss."

Gibbs turned back to his desk and grabbed his badge and gun. "Those victims deserve to go home." He left without another word.

"It's been a rough month," Tony commented once Gibbs was gone.

"I heard, and I'm sorry. I'm here if you… if you want to talk about it." Paula looked to Tony and then McGee, extending the offer to both of them. "How are you handling it?"

"Same way I handle everything, try not to think about it. And… there is always junk food." He liked Paula, and maybe if they were somewhere else, having a beer he could open up. Being an agent, he knew she understood the hardships they went through in their line of work. But for now, in the office, Tony couldn't start on his feelings over the loss of Kate. Instead he preferred to keep things light and focus on the cases. Never mind that it was hard enough to stare across at Kate's empty desk day after day.

There was something about Cassidy that Tony appreciated beyond the fact that she was an agent and understood where he was coming from on the work-front. So when they headed out to the field with McGee in search of the bodies that Kyle Boone had buried, he felt the need to keep an eye on her, his urge to protect her since he hadn't been able to protect Kate.

He was only gone for a few minutes, but when he and McGee returned to find Paula missing, and a photo of her in her place, his gut twisted and he knew he had to find her before it was too late. As McGee made the call, Tony begged Kate to help him find Paula.

As soon as he found Paula, Tony pulled the trigger – shooting to kill rather than just stop Boone's lawyer from hurting her further. He let McGee check that he was dead, as he dropped to his knees beside Paula. "You… you okay?" He cut the ties from her wrists and ankles and gently removed the duct tape from her mouth.

She nodded. "Will be. Have any water?"

"In the car, can you walk?"

Paula nodded and Tony helped her to her feet. He turned to McGee, asking him to call Gibbs and Ducky, and then helped her to the car, setting her in the passenger seat and then pulling a bottle of water from the trunk. Since her injuries weren't life threatening, he decided to wait rather than leave McGee to wait with the body alone. Gibbs was first to arrive and gave Tony the go-ahead to take her back to NCIS. With Ducky collecting the body, Tony brought her to Abby to have her help clean the blood from Paula's face. He watched quietly as Abby gently sponged the blood from Paula's nose and lip, and then got her an icepack while another agent found Paula a clean shirt to wear.

* * *

As Paula got ready to head home, Tony looked up, unsure if he should say something or not. He hated to see her head home alone, but didn't want her to feel like he was forcing his company on her. He looked down at the report he was working on. He wouldn't be done for another 30 minutes if he really tried, but…

"DiNozzo, finish that up tomorrow."

Tony's head snapped up and he looked from Gibbs to Paula as she headed for the elevator and back to Gibbs again. He gave a quick smile and then stood and jogged to the elevator to catch up. "Uh, Paula… you want to maybe grab a drink. Been a long day for me, and I can't even imagine how you feel and maybe-"

Paula stared at him a moment, not wanting pity, but at the same time, not wanting to be alone just yet. "Yeah, I could use a drink."

Gibbs watched them head out and then sent McGee home as well. He was looking tired and Gibbs figured they could all use an early night. He let his thoughts drift to Abby. He was certain she was still down in her lab. He switched off his computer and the lamp over his desk. He grabbed his personal things and strode toward the back elevator. Like he predicted, Abby was still in her lab, tidying up after the tests she had been running all day. "Almost done in here?"

"Gibbs!" She startled at the sound of his voice. "You scared me!"

"Sorry," he knew she was a little more on edge after having had her window shattered by Ari's bullet.

"I'm almost done, just putting a few last things away and cleaning up. Can I help you with something?"

Gibbs leaned against her desk and watched as she put the test tube racks back on the shelf and then opened a new box of gloves to replace the box she tossed in the recycling bin. "Tony's taking Paula for a drink, McGee headed home-"

"How's she doing?" Abby asked, referring to Paula. "Physically, she wasn't too bad, said he only got a few blows, but I can imagine she was terrified."

"I think she'll be okay, she's tough."

Abby nodded.

"You want to come back to my place? I could pick up Chinese." Something had been bothering Abby besides losing Kate and he was determined to get to the bottom of it. He had hoped that with time she would come to him, but six weeks on, there was no sign of her opening up. "Spend the night?"

She didn't meet his gaze, but nodded. "I'll meet you at your place; I have a few more things I need to get done before I can head out."

"Okay," Gibbs agreed. It would give him the chance to grab the food, get home and change into something a bit more comfortable and spend a little time on his boat and plan his approach. Something was wrong and he was going to fix it.

Abby arrived nearly an hour after Gibbs got home with their food. He had just about been ready to call her when he heard her car pull up out front. He hurried up the steps and opened the door for her, watching as she headed up the front steps with her overnight bag slung over her shoulder.

Once she was inside he took her bag from her to allow her to slip her boots and jacket off. He joined her on the couch, bringing their food with him and two beers that he had uncapped in the kitchen. Abby seemed a little more relaxed once she had some food in her and he found himself wondering if she was eating enough regularly. He had noted that she hadn't been interested in food in the few days following Kate's death. He could understand the lack of appetite, but had assumed it would get better after a few days. "Abbs, you eating enough during the day?"

Abby looked up at him, a question on her lips. "What?"

"You seem tired, and things have been hard since Kate… I just want to make sure you're taking care of yourself."

Abby nodded. "I wasn't eating much the few days after she died, but I'd say I'm back to normal now. I've haven't been able to go to the coffee shop where Kate and I used to meet to grab coffee and Caf-Pow before work," she shifted in her seat, "but I'm working up to that."

"I could go with you sometime, if you want."

"I would like that," she smiled.

Gibbs knew there was something else bothering her, but he didn't want to push just yet. Seeing the genuine smile on her face when he offered to go with her to the café she used to frequent with Kate had him hesitating to push for more. It had been a while since he had seen her truly smile and he didn't want to say anything that might wipe the smile from her face.

* * *

They curled up together in bed and Gibbs was surprised when she pushed her back to his chest and wrapped his arm around her middle. She was usually the one to start with the soft touches and kisses, but this time she did nothing. He pressed his nose to the back of her neck and then peppered several soft kissed to her shoulder. "Whatever else is bothering you, please let me fix it," he whispered against her skin. "I'll do anything to fix it." He couldn't stand not being able to help her.

Abby tensed and then moved to lie on her back, staring up at the ceiling. "It's been Tony all along, hasn't it?"

"What?" Gibbs propped his head up on his hand and looked at her, unsure of what she meant.

"It's been Tony that you've wanted all this time, and not me," she turned to look at him, deep-seeded hurt and anger visible in her eyes, even in the dark. "We've been hooking up off and on for months and you'd never fuck me. Tony's in your bed once and you don't hesitate."

"Abby…"

"I… I don't mind that this is casual, but don't use me, not like that. Not now when Tony is within reach."

"Abby that's not," Gibbs was taken by surprise; out of anything he would've expected this hadn't been it.

"I thought that maybe it was your way of keeping this more casual, but then-" he tried to pull her closer but she pushed him away.

"It's more complicated than that, Abby, don't-" she kept trying to push his hands away, but he couldn't let her think he didn't want her.

"No, don't tell me it was only because he asked. That the only reason you fucked him was because he was sad and he asked nicely, I won't believe it. You never do anything you don't want to do."

"You saying you didn't want Tony to join us when we came up here?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying, I just never expected things to change like that. We got upstairs and then…" she pushed his hands away again and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "Hell, you had Tony and all thoughts of me flew out the window," she turned to glare over her shoulder. "I wasn't really even _wet_ yet and you were like _here, you can fuck Tony_… _I'm busy._ I came to the both of you for comfort and I felt like I was an afterthought."

Gibbs felt his heart seize in his chest at the thought that he had neglected Abby in any way. "Abby, it was never my intention," he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back down to the bed before she could get up. "I need you to listen to me,"

"Gibbs, don't… I could've walked away then, and you know... maybe I should have, but don't… don't make-"

"No, I'm not done talking," he struggled with her to keep her beside him, eventually he threw his leg over hers, "you need to listen to me."

"It doesn't matter!" she shouted at him.

"I'll admit that I was caught up in losing Kate and then what was going on with the three of us, but all that time before, don't you _ever_ think that I didn't want more of you, all of you," it was Gibbs' turn to sound angry. "You were right to say that I don't do anything I don't want to do. If I hadn't wanted anything to happen between us, it never would have."

"Gibbs, move!" Abby tried to move out from under him.

Gibbs ignored her and leaned down to graze his teeth across her neck. "I've always wanted you, Abbs. All of you."

On one hand she desperately wanted to push him away, but at the same time, she wanted to pull him even closer. "Don't do this Gibbs, don't pity me."

"You think this is pity?" Gibbs shifted and pressed his hardened dick against her hip. "If I didn't want you in my bed, why would I ask you over? Why would I bring you here?"

"Gibbs!" She struggled, but she wasn't sure if she was struggling to push him away or to push him over.

Gibbs pushed a hand between them as he nipped her ear lobe. He pushed the fabric of her panties aside and slipped a finger between her folds. Finding that she was wet, he removed his fingers and then ripped the lace from her body, smothering her cry with a kiss and soothing the skin where the lace had dug into her with his warm hands.

He struggled with her to get his own underwear down, and only got it to around his knees before he was sinking into Abby with a groan.

"Oh God, Gibbs…"

They lay silently for a brief minute, taking in the magnitude that they were finally joined in a way they had both been longing for. But soon it was almost too much, and they fought for control, desperately trying to bring the other to release first. Abby's fingers scratched up his back as she begged him for more and then, with her legs drawn up, tried to flip him over. They struggled to work free from the last of their clothing without losing contact.

Gibbs allowed her to be on top and without having to hold himself above her, he could focus his hands on her body. He pushed himself up to capture one of her nipples between his lips, one of his hands splayed over her back, the other slipped to where they were joined, his thumb zeroing in over her clit.

"Gibbs!" she gasped.

He continued to assault her clit until her body went rigid and she cried out his name before falling forward into his arms as she twitched and shivered around him. She allowed herself to rest a moment before lifting her head to look at him, a devilish twinkle in her eye. She attacked him with renewed strength, clenching her muscles around him as she pressed her hips to his. She could see the way his jaw was set, that he was close and struggling to remain in control of his body. She was sure she was on the right track until she felt her own body begin to betray her. Gibbs knew it too and flipped her to her back, knocking her hands aside as she tried to keep her position on top and in control.

She knew he was fighting for control of her body and she knew that the moment she gave in, she would forever give in to him. Three orgasms later, Abby finally relaxed against his pillow. Her touches went from hard and demanding to gentle and welcoming. It was then that Gibbs finally allowed himself to let go. He came in white-hot spurts inside her and then collapse over her as the last waves of pleasure washed over him.

Eventually he allowed himself to slip from her body and he rolled over to his back.

"Gibbs…?"

Gibbs scrubbed a hand over his face as he fought to regain his breath. "That was the first time in a long time that I… with someone that I…" he couldn't say it, he couldn't use the L-word that he'd spent much of the past decade avoiding saying.

Sensing that this was something big for him, Abby instantly felt guilty. "Gibbs, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have been so pushy, or I should've said something earlier instead of lashing out and pushing you to do something that maybe you didn't want-"

Gibbs rolled toward her and pulled her in close again, pressing a rough kiss to her lips. "Don't ever think that I don't want you."

"Okay," she whispered quietly, hugging herself to his warm body.

* * *

TBC…

Aww, poor Gibbs. He really does love her, but remember - no one knows about Shannon/Kelly yet.

*ahem* Gosgirl


	14. Chapter 14

Sorry about the delay, but this is a bit longer. Enjoy!

* * *

Gibbs knew she was awake, but as long as she was content to lie there in his arms, he was content to hold her. He brushed several gentle kisses to her shoulder and was about to nibble along the shell of her ear when his phone rang. With a groan, he rolled away from her and grabbed his cellphone from the nightstand.

He listened to the details and then sighed. "Yeah, yeah, okay." Flipping his phone closed, Gibbs rolled back to Abby to nuzzle against her neck. "We've got to get going."

Abby groaned and pushed her face into the pillow. "But I can't move…"

Gibbs chuckled and wrapped himself around her again, "me either."

She turned in the circle of his arms and nuzzled against his chest. "I didn't scratch you up too badly, did I?" She had raked her fingers over his chest and back, more than once.

Another amused chuckle bubbled up. "I've been shot, I'm sure I can take a few scratches."

"Well, I never meant to hurt you."

"I know," he pressed a tender kiss to the top of her head and then ran his hand down her back and over the curve of her ass before giving it a little smack. "But we've got to get going. Don't need the director breathing down my neck."

* * *

Only 30 seconds in the office, and Gibbs wished he was curled up in bed with Abby. He had been shocked to see Ziva sitting at Kate's desk and without a word had taken the steps two at a time to Jen's office. It wasn't her place to add to his team. He chose people that he wanted on his team. People he knew he could work with and help shape into hard working agents. Ziva David was an assassin. Not an investigator. But he knew that look on Jenny's face – the look that said his arguing and stomping around would get him nowhere.

Abby had gone by her apartment before coming into work, so Gibbs hadn't seen her choice of outfit for the day. He nearly stumbled over his feet when he strolled into her lab to ask about the Civil War era tomb and saw her in her court clothes. Tony's mumbled _wow_ echoed his thoughts.

"Business attire, Gibbs. She wants me to wear business attire." Abby waved a fist full of company dress code papers in her hand.

"Abbs…" Gibbs approached slowly, mentally reminding himself to slap Tony for the _career girl Barbie _comment. "Give it to me," he slowly pulled the papers from her hands and balled them up. "I'll take care of it."

"I don't know, I think you look nice." Ziva added.

"Nice?"

Gibbs had to bite his lower lip to keep from laughing at the look Abby shot Ziva. "I'll take care of it, Abbs. Promise."

Although he wasn't thrilled with Ziva being put on his team, he had to admit that she had been useful in the case, and even he had to admit that she had saved Ducky's life. He headed down to the lab to see if Abby had plans for the night, but when he found the lab empty he headed to autopsy to check on his friend. Instead of just Ducky, he found Abby pouring tea for the both of them. "Tea party?" Gibbs asked, amusement in his voice.

"Care to join us for a cup?" Ducky offered.

"Nah, but I'll take one of these," he picked up a cookie from a paper plate in the middle of their make-shift table. "Just checking in on you."

"I'm fine Jethro, not the first time I've had a gun pointed at me," he said cheerfully. Mostly for Abby's sake, Gibbs figured.

Gibbs nodded. "You two have a good night. And stay away from the hardstuff," he nodded to the scotch on Ducky's shelf. "Don't want to find the two of you passed out down here."

Abby gave salute and Ducky pressed his hand to his heart.

* * *

If Gibbs thought Abby was less than impressed with dress code she was given, he was in for a shock when he found out that she had been given an assistant. She had tried to keep cool at work, still weary of Ziva and her role on the team; she hadn't given much of a thought to Chip until she was at Gibbs house after work. He'd only had to hug her before she exploded – pacing back and forth in his living room as she shouted.

"… and it's like she doesn't think I'm capable. What, because I don't _dress_ like her? Because I have tattoos I must've skipped class all the time or something? Gibbs, I _know_ what I'm doing!"

"I know, I know…" he held up his hands in mock surrender. "She wants to give it a month, and if you still don't want him there, she'll get rid of him. It's the best I can do."

"And what about Ziva? Half the time I can't tell if Tony wants to kill her or sleep with her," she said in disgust. "Why is the director trying for force new people on us?"

"Abbs…" he reached out to stop her, gently pulling her in for another hug. "She doesn't know how we work, she thinks she knows what's best. We'll get everything sorted out, we just… we just need a little time. Don't kill Chip, it'll only complicate things."

Abby frowned but let Gibbs pull her into a hug anyway.

"And Abby?"

"Hmm?"

Gibbs pulled back and traced his thumb over her neck, following the faint stain left by the dye in the fake knife. "Don't ever do that again, okay? Not an image I want in my mind." His voice was quieter than Abby had ever heard it before.

"Sorry."

* * *

"Agent Gibbs assured me that they are _both_ fine," Director Shepard tried to ease Abby's worry as they waited for the team to return. "Really, I'm sure you can head home now."

Abby's head snapped up and she glared at the director from her spot at Tony's desk. "I'm not going home until I can see for myself that Tony is okay." She was about to continue on her rant, but the elevator dinged and Gibbs led Tony, Ziva and McGee toward their desks. "Tony!" She hurried toward him and threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Hey Abby, I'm okay, really…" He wrapped one arm around her and held a tissue to his nose with the other hand. "Just a little headache, that's all."

Gibbs rolled his eyes, but said nothing, figuring Tony could use a little fussing over.

Ziva gathered her personal things from her desk and then stood beside Tony's desk. "I will drive you home."

Tony paled at the thought. She drove like a maniac, though he was intrigued by Ziva. Going undercover with her hadn't been as bad as he expected. And she certainly wasn't hard on the eyes.

His attention was brought back to the situation when Abby tightened her hold on him. "Maybe he wants to live," she suggested, and then opened her mouth to add_ I'll take you home_, when Tony shrugged and started to follow Ziva.

"If I'm not in tomorrow, check accident reports."

Abby watched Tony leave with Ziva, and consciously had to keep her jaw from hitting the floor. Tony had been just as weary as she was about letting Ziva join the team and now he was letting her drive him home. And probably inviting her in for… who knows what else.

Gibbs watched quietly as he witnessed the varied emotions as Tony chose to leave with Ziva when Abby had been ready to offer instead. He had been spending a lot of time with Abby lately, so he wasn't sure how much time they had spent together lately, but the jealousy was clear for a brief second before she shook it off and told McGee something about the nuns. She waved a quick goodbye to him and headed out alone.

* * *

For three days Gibbs watched Abby mope whenever Tony and Ziva were in her lab together. He was almost ready to say something to Tony, when suddenly FBI Agent Fornell was taking Tony into custody and accusing him of murder.

"It's not true Gibbs, Tony would never kill anyone unless it was in the line of duty, you _know_ that!"

"I know," Gibbs placed a reassuring hand on her back, "you've just got to do what you do best and use science to find who the real killer is."

"I'm trying, but I don't… Gibbs, the science is telling me that he did. I… I matched his finger prints and the bite marks. How? I don't get it!"

Gibbs took in a deep breath. He knew his agent wasn't a cold blooded killer, but with the way the evidence was pointing to him, Gibbs wasn't sure how he was going to prove otherwise.

Being so caught up in trying to keep Tony from being locked away for good, and trying to restore Abby's faith in her own scientific work, Gibbs didn't even think twice about the fact that Abby hadn't had time to complain about her assistant. He took the file from Jenny, to flip through the documents of Stewarts court case, hoping it would give them some sort of lead as to who might want Tony to fall. His gut twisted and he felt his heart seize in his chest when he saw Chip's photo.

The minute Gibbs took off, the others followed closely behind. He had his gun drawn as he rushed into Abby's lab and he was certain that everyone could hear his heart pounding in his chest. "Abby!" He nearly stumbled over his own feet when he saw her sitting with her back toward him, her head hanging forward. The lab was a mess, her table was knocked over and various supplies were scattered across the floor.

He felt a surge of relief rush through his body as she turned to face them. She looked angry and exhausted as she stood and pointed to Chip as he struggled on the floor. "Now can I work alone?"

Everyone stood silently for a moment, taking it in that Abby had disarmed him and managed to hold him down and hog-tie him with duct tape.

Director Shepard cleared her throat and nodded. "I think that would be fine," she could feel the anger radiating off both Abby and Gibbs. She glanced over at Ziva, sending the woman into action. She pulled a pair of cuffs from her pocket and used her knife to slice through the tape so she could haul him to his feet. Gibbs stepped up to Abby and pulled her into a hug and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Pushing her back, he looked her over for any sign that she had been hurt. "You okay?"

"Yes." She glanced around at the mess in her lab. "More than I can say about my lab."

"Hey," Gibbs tilted her face up and for a brief moment was tempted to kiss her in front of everyone. "This stuff is replaceable. You're not."

Tony's heart was still pounding in his chest as he approached. "Abby…"

"I'm sorry Tony, sorry that I didn't figure it out earlier. He was suddenly ranting on and on about how you got him fired and he was going to make you pay, and…" she let go of Gibbs and threw herself into Tony's arms. "I can't believe that it was _my_ science that was going to put you away."

"It's not your fault," he held her tight until he felt her relax into his arms. He glanced up to see Gibbs watching them, and it was like suddenly the heaviness of the whole situation came crashing down around him - from the fact that he had been a major suspect in a murder case to the fact that one of his enemies had tried to kill Abby. He felt his chest start to tighten up and he felt the panic start to set in.

Gibbs noticed the sudden distress and took charge. "Alright, everyone… McGee, make sure Ziva has him settled in a cell for the night and then go home. Ducky was already headed out, so Gibbs fixed his gaze on the Director until she gave a brief nod and turned to go. "DiNozzo…" his voice quieted and it was enough of a change that Abby pulled back and looked up at him. "Tony?"

"I'm okay, I'm okay," he reached out to keep a hold on Abby. "It's just been a tough few days." He focused on breathing slowly and closed his eyes for a moment.

Gibbs dug his keys from his pocket. "Abbs, take him out to my car and wait for me. I'm just going to grab his stuff and switch off my computer." He handed her his keys and then turned to go.

"Come on, Tony. You heard the boss." Abby grabbed her own bag and walked to the staircase, deciding that going the back way would keep them from running into anyone else. She led him through the parking lot until she got to Gibbs' spot. She unlocked his truck and made Tony sit in the passenger seat. "You okay?"

Tony nodded and reached for her hand. "Just glad that this is all over. I knew I didn't kill anyone, but with all the evidence, I didn't know how to explain it. It's like I saw my life going down the drain and there was nothing I could do."

"I never thought for a minute that you did it. I just couldn't understand why my science was suddenly letting me down."

"I never blamed you, I just didn't understand."

They were quiet for a minute – Tony sitting in the truck and Abby standing against the open door. "Did you… are you, um_, sleeping,_ with Ziva?"

"Wait, _what_?" Tony did a double take, not sure of where that question had come from.

Abby was about to clarify her question, but Gibbs approached so she turned to him, relieved that he was there. She hadn't meant to blurt it out like that, but she couldn't help but wonder if he'd rather have Ziva take him home over Gibbs.

Gibbs stopped and stared at her a minute. "Why aren't you in the truck?"

"He seemed like he needed to sit down and," she motioned to the open door, "some fresh air would do him some good, so…" she scuffed her toe on the cement. She hadn't been sure if Gibbs wanted them both to come over. If Tony needed the comfort, she didn't want to intrude…

"Get in." Obviously he hadn't done a good job in making it clear that he was taking both of them home. As he circled around to the driver's side, Tony reached out and helped Abby into the truck, shifting her over his lap to sit in the middle. It was a tight squeeze for three of them in the truck, but Tony drew comfort from her sitting so close.

Abby kept up a steady stream of happy chatter on the drive back to Gibbs' house, detailing her moves and how she took Chip down. "…and then I wrapped a loop of the tape around his head. Good luck getting that off gently."

Gibbs smiled, but said nothing. He thought that had been a little strange, seeing as it had no effect on keeping up restrained.

As soon as they were in Gibbs' house and the door was closed, Tony pulled Abby into a tight hug and buried his face against her neck. "I'm not a killer, but so help me God, if he had hurt you…" Tony felt a shiver run through his body as he fought against images of what could've happened.

"I'm okay, Tony. I was a little scared when I first put the dots together, but then the adrenaline started to flow and… I wasn't going down without a fight."

"God…" Tony sighed.

"I know," Gibbs interrupted, returning from the kitchen. "I've got some soup on the stove, you need some food first. Then rest."

"Gibbs is right; you need to get some food in you." Abby pressed her lips gently to his and pulled away before he could deepen the kiss. They sat together at Gibbs' table as he served them each a hearty bowl of soup and some bread.

Tony seemed restless and Gibbs watched carefully as the younger man mostly just stirred his soup. "Eat, Tony," he reminded him.

He made it through about half of his food before he pushed the rest away. "I'm full."

Gibbs nodded and carried their bowls to the sink before returning to the table. Tony stood as he approached, not sure what to do. "What do you need, DiNozzo?"

"I… I don't…" he shrugged. "I'm fine, really."

Gibbs shook his head and stepped closer to Tony. "What do _you_ need?" He could see that Tony was on the verge of talking, he just needed that little extra push.

"Nothing! I'm fine, I'm not the one that had a knife on me, what I need, is to make sure Abby is okay." He gestured to Abby where she stood a few steps behind Gibbs.

"I'm okay, Tony. He didn't hurt me."

"She will be okay," was Gibbs' promise. He already knew what she needed and he planned to give it to her, but Tony was a little harder to read.

Tony shrugged again, and this time turned to face the window. "I don't _need_ anything."

"Tony…" Abby moved around Gibbs and pressed herself to Tony's side. "I need you."

"All I need is to know you're okay." He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead and looked at Gibbs. He didn't say anything, but with his eyes he was asking for help. Abby pulled away again and headed upstairs. "God Gibbs, it's because of me that he held a knife to her."

"Then come with us upstairs, see for yourself that she's okay."

"But she's not, you can see it in her eyes," Tony started to should, but quieted again so Abby wouldn't hear it.

"You're right," Gibbs agreed. "And I will take care of her. Let me take care of you, too. It's why you agreed to come home with me, right?"

"I didn't agree to anything," Tony stood his ground. "You told Abby to take me to your car."

Gibbs could see the fight leaving his agent so he turned toward the stairs. "You could've said no. Come on." He wasn't going to play games with Tony. They both knew he needed comfort and his drive to make sure Abby was okay had him following a few steps behind Gibbs.

They found Abby sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor, her fingers twisting together nervously. Gibbs could tell the weight of the whole situation was finally starting to come crashing down on her. Gibbs knelt in front of her in an attempt to get her to look at him. "What do you need, Abbs?"

She was quiet a moment before she fell forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, her tears finally starting to fall. "You."

"Easy," he staggered to his feet with her in her arms and glanced over at Tony.

Tony was frozen to the spot as he watched Abby start to cry. He'd seen her cry over Kate, but it was still unsettling to see her look so scared. And the guilt he felt was overwhelming. Gibbs' clearing his throat brought him back to the moment. As Gibbs sat with her on the edge of the bed, he pulled her legs up over his lap and started to work on one of her boots. Tony watched the tenderness of Gibbs' movements as he unlaced one boot and then then other, all while murmuring soft reassurances against her ear.

"I'm so sorry, Abby." Tony sat beside her, unsure of what else he could say.

Abby pulled away and looked at him, her brows creased. "How can you think that Chip is your fault? You were doing your job, I was the one that almost sent you to jail for the rest of your life. The one thing that's been constant in my life, science, was going to be the thing that ruined your life. Ruin my life."

"But it didn't," he reached out for her and Gibbs helped her off his lap and on to Tony's. Tony welcomed her into his arms and let out a heavy sigh as she straddled his lap and wrapped herself around him.

Gibbs stood and moved behind Abby and bent to press a kiss to the top of her head. "Let me take care of the both of you," he ran his hands down her side and then lifted her shirt up and over her head as Tony worked his own shirt off. Tony pulled her back against his chest as Gibbs spent a few minute massaging the tension from her shoulders. Then Gibbs gave them a little nudge, directing them to the center of the bed. He helped Abby with her socks as she worked her skirt and panties off and Tony slipped his pants and boxers down his legs. Gibbs curled up behind Abby and wedge and arm under her to hold her close, his other hand smoothing over her hip. "Kiss her," Gibbs murmured as he pushed a finger between her folds. Tony needed his touch as well, but he knew that Tony wouldn't relax until Abby was relaxed, so together they were going to bring her off before he could make sure Tony got what he needed.

Gibbs kept his lips pressed to her shoulder as he touched her. He grinned every time he flicked over her clit, making her moan against Tony's lips. Tony was hard and snuggled up close enough that every so often Gibbs moved his hand from Abby, and used his knuckles to brush against the younger man's erection.

He knew Abby was close so he moved his lips to her ear. "Come on Abbs, let it go." She was riding his hand hard and within moments she was crying out, her body tense.

"That's it…" Gibbs kept his fingers in her as she rode out the waves of pleasure clinging to Tony. As soon as she relaxed back against him, Gibbs let her roll to her back so that he could kiss her. He glanced at Tony and say that his agent looked to be close to tears. "DiNozzo…"

"Yeah, boss?"

Gibbs reached for him and pulled him half over Abby. He nipped at the younger man's lower lip and guided him over Abby. Abby was still sensitive, so Gibbs took care to go slow as he guided Tony into Abby. "Wait a minute." Gibbs rolled away and grabbed lube and a condom from the nightstand. He'd never thought it would be something he'd keep in his home, but ever since the first time with Tony, he'd wanted to be prepared. He looked back and smiled at the sight. Tony looked like he was trying to protect Abby under him, but she was smiling and was tracing her fingers all over Tony's face.

Tony tensed under his touch, but with a gentle reminder to breathe and relaxed, Gibbs worked first one and then two fingers into him before rolling on a condom and slicking himself up. He wanted to draw things out for Tony, giving him the chance to truly relax. He moved slowly, the groan from both Tony and Abby making him grin. He was careful to not put too much of his weight on Tony, he didn't want to crush Abby beneath them.

Abby was the first to lose control, her second orgasm washing over her as she cried out and arched under them. Tony quickly followed, and it took everything Gibbs had, not to follow as Tony squeezed around him. He pulled out and discarded the condom, stumbling to the bed. He wanted to fuck them both, and even though he had made it clear to Abby that he wanted her, he knew he had been completely focused on Tony the previous time. That wasn't going to happen again.

As Tony moved off of her, Gibbs took his place.

"Gibbs, I don't think I can…" she had already come twice, a third time wasn't likely.

Gibbs nuzzled against her neck as he pushed inside. She cried out as he entered her, and he grinned when she tightened around him and her body tensed. When Tony snuggled in close, Gibbs wrapped his arms around the both of them, quickly losing control. He gritted his teeth as he let go, his body going ridged. He wasn't sure if he'd taken Abby to a third orgasm, but the way Tony was talking to her, comforting her, he was pretty sure she'd made it.

"You two will be the death of me," Abby whispered between breaths.

TBC..


	15. Chapter 15

Waking up between her two favorite people instantly put a smile on her face. Her smile quickly faded as the pressure on her bladder came to the forefront of her mind. Both men were still sound asleep, their arms and legs tangled over her. Gibbs tensed every time she tried to move him, so she turned to Tony and gently shifted out from under his grasp. She had to scoot to the end of the bed to get up, but she was successful and quietly tip-toed to the bathroom, grabbing Gibbs' shirt and slipping on as she moved. When she was done, Abby stood at the foot of the bed, debating if it was worth the risk of possibly waking them to get back into bed. It was just past five and she knew Gibbs would be up by six, so she didn't want to ruin their last hour or so of sleep. She was just about to turn and head downstairs to start coffee when Tony sat up and sleepily rubbed at his eyes. "Gibbs will be pissed if he wakes up and you're gone," he whispered.

Abby shrugged, but moved to Tony's side of the bed. "I know, I just didn't want to wake you guys up by trying to get back to where I was."

"I've gotta pee too." Tony swung his legs over the edge, but held the blanket up so Abby could move under it.

She was just settled back in her spot, when Gibbs reached out for her and pressed his face to her neck, mumbling something in his sleep. He almost sounded worried, so she lifted her hand to gently stroke his cheek, and smiled as he settled again.

When Tony returned, Abby turned to him and pressed several kisses to his bare chest. "How you doin'? Sleep okay?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you?"

"Tony…"

"How about you both remind each other that you're okay so we can sleep a little bit longer." Gibbs muttered gruffly as he turned to lay with his back at them.

Abby giggled and turned to wrap her arms around him, and peppered a few kisses to the back of his neck. Tony did the same to her, and together the three of them managed to sleep awhile longer.

* * *

For three weeks they kept things professional during the week and then somehow fell into bed together over the weekends. Nothing was ever said at work, Gibbs didn't pull Abby into the elevator, and when Abby teased Tony in her lab – it was just that, teasing. No hint of a sexual undertone.

But he couldn't quite get her question, the one where she asked if he was sleeping with Ziva, out of his head. He had thought about it, and while they were undercover things had gotten pretty close, but they kept it professional. But he liked Ziva, he liked the way she butchered the English language, and he loved that fact that she was like a real, live ninja. Watching her take down unsuspecting targets was like watching a movie.

But as Abby's birthday approached, he wanted to make it clear to her that he had zero intention of sleeping with Ziva. He was perfectly content with their current arrangement and he was perfectly willing to offer commitment if that's what she wanted. But every Monday as he tried to make eye contact with Gibbs, he didn't see anything that would lead him to believe that Gibbs wanted commitment. So for her birthday he settled for expensive jewelry and black roses, hoping that he could use his actions to show her he cared if he couldn't use words.

Abby was grateful for the gifts, but he could tell something was missing. She brushed him off, thanked him again and sent him on his way. But when he saw Ziva heading down, he followed behind, wondering if Abby would open up to another woman. Over the past few days, Abby had started to warm to Ziva. Tony had almost laughed when Abby had hesitantly hugged the other woman and told her she was glad she wasn't dead after they had been stuck in the container.

"Abby, I got these for…" Ziva trailed off as she saw the vases of black roses all over her lab. "I… I will get you something else."

"No, I love them, thank you!" Abby took them and put them on her desk.

"Is… everything okay, Abby?" This was new territory for the both of them, but if Abby was willing to open up to her, it would be worth it. Ziva knew she would never be part of the team until she had Abby's acceptance.

"Yeah, it's just… stupid."

"I'm not good at… girl stuff, but I can listen, if you want."

Abby looked at Ziva a moment, and from his spot in the shadows, Tony held his breath. "It's just that Gibbs normally takes me out to dinner the night before my birthday and last night… he didn't."

"He probably just forgot, don't-" Ziva realized her mistake before she finished and changed her approach. "This case has kept us so busy. I… I could remind him, if you want."

"No, no it's okay," Abby gave a little shrug and turned back to her computer. "You're right, this case has kept us all busy. I should get back to work."

Tony slipped away before Ziva turned to leave and headed up the stairs. He was torn between saying something to Gibbs so that Abby would feel better, and saying nothing. He couldn't believe that Gibbs would actually forget her birthday, not when everyone in the building had been carrying black roses or cookies or caf-pow! to the lab all day. Maybe Gibbs was just waiting until the case was over.

Despite her hurt feelings, Abby could never hold a grudge against Gibbs. She knew they were in a hurry, but she couldn't let him go without saying something. "Gibbs…"

He stopped, but didn't look pleased at being held up. He looked at her, an eyebrow raised, as he urged her to say what she needed so he could get going.

"It's okay that you forgot my birthday, I know this case has kept everyone really busy and-"

Gibbs' features softened as he recognized why she'd been a little short with him earlier. "I didn't forget."

"You didn't?"

"Nope. Check your desk."

"No…" A big grin broke out across her face. "I've been in here all day, you couldn't have…" she backed slowly toward her office.

"I gotta run, Abbs. Happy birthday. I'll see you when I get back." The elevator doors were just about to close when he heard her happy squeal. He nodded to himself. He'd done good.

* * *

Tony sat at his desk the next morning and wondered if he should casually mention Abby's birthday to Gibbs. At this point, he didn't think it would do much good. It was already past her birthday and if Gibbs hadn't done anything already, it was doubtful that he would do something now. But when Gibbs strolled into the office, coffee in his hand and a little extra bounce in his step, Tony knew instantly that Gibbs had remembered. He looked a little lighter almost, and Tony was certain that if he went to see Abby, she would have a similar aura about her. It was a feeling her knew all too well – sex with either of them put him in the same exact space.

Just to be sure, he made an excuse to head down to her lab to check in. Sure enough, Abby looked happy, and for the brief moment he was able to watch her without her noticing him, she looked like she had been thoroughly fucked. She looked relaxed, and exhausted at the same time.

They weren't in a relationship, but Tony felt a jolt of jealousy run through him. He knew it was just some weird sort of _friends with benefits_ sort of deal, but the fact that they were hooking up without him outside of work really stung. He could understand the quick hook-ups at work – he'd had his fair share with the both of them, but outside of work took a little more planning and it hurt that they didn't include him. "Hey Abby, how you doing?"

"Good." She smiled big and then frowned. "I, uh… I texted you last night," her voice dropped to a whisper.

"You, you did?" Tony pulled his phone from his pocket. There was nothing on the screen. He went to his messages and was surprised to see an unread text from Abby. **Gibbs took me out for my birthday dinner. Lots of **_**dessert**_** back at his place. Interested?** Tony slapped his hand to his forehead. "I can't believe I didn't get this… of all texts."

"I was a little worried that you… didn't want to come over or something."

"I'm sorry," Tony pulled her into a hug, partly to sooth her worry and partly to ease the fact that his jealousy was mostly his own fault. He was happy that she got her birthday dinner, he wasn't interested in intruding on that tradition, but the fact that they had _wanted_ him to come over afterward... he wanted to kick himself. "Do me a favor and call me if I don't respond to a text like that, okay?"

Abby nodded. "You know, growing up… my brother and I usually had a _few _birthday celebrations, so maybe we could just, I dunno, extend my birthday. If you and Gibbs aren't busy?"

"You are a special birthday girl…"

* * *

"He's busy. With the director." Abby plopped down on Tony's couch and took the beer he offered. "You don't think he's _busy-_busy with the director, do you?"

Tony shook his head. "No. Do I think they've been down that road before? Absolutely, but she broke his trust in her somehow. I'm not sure how, but he won't go down _that _red road again."

"Tony!" Abby smacked his arm. "I can't believe you just said that!"

"Oh come on, as if you weren't already thinking it. Plus, it's not like we're some exclusive threesome or whatever."

"We could be," Abby shrugged. "I'm not seeing anyone else. Haven't for awhile."

Tony sat quietly, unsure of what to say. Before he came to NCIS he was never big on commitment, but over the last year or so, he found himself craving that stability. "I'm not either."

Abby nodded.

"But Gibbs isn't really big on commitment, you know? So I don't know…" Tony suddenly found himself rambling nervously.

"Oh, I know, I didn't think… I just… you know, wanted you to know that I'm not, haven't, seen anyone else in a long time. And that is… _beyond_ over," Abby shuttered. It was over on her part, though it seemed as though her ex didn't want to agree. But with so much time spent at work or with Gibbs and Tony, she didn't have much time to worry.

* * *

"Ngh, harder!" Abby cried out.

Tony grunted, shifted his weight, and pushed up on his toes. "I… I don't want to hurt you, Abby."

Abby gripped at the kitchen sink and pushed back, "you won't, just… _more._"

Since their conversation had taken a more serious turn, they turned to the one thing they both knew would lighten the mood. Sex. They had started on the couch and then moved through to the kitchen.

Tony leaned forward and grazed his teeth over her shoulder blade and then nipped at her neck. "Bedroom." He pulled out of her and together they stumbled through to his apartment. Within minutes Abby was on her knees, bracing herself on the headboard as Tony lined up behind her and slid home once again.

"Yes… yes, right there…"

He wrapped his arms around her and snapped his hips against her as fast as he could. He was just about to give her warning that he was close, when there was a loud thump against the wall and his neighbor yelled something about quieting down. The shock of it all – being heard, Abby's loud gasp, and the fact that she had tightened considerably around him made him come as they fell to the side, gasping with laughter.

Abby propped herself up on her elbow and tapped Tony on the chest. "You're so lucky that he has a different stairwell than you, otherwise that'd be really awkward."

Tony laughed and then pulled her in close. "Come on, let's take this to shower to finish up." It was the one room that didn't share any walls with another apartment. They stumbled through to the bathroom and Tony leaned in to turn the water on and adjust the temperature. As soon as it was ready, he tugged Abby in after him. It didn't take long before she was limp in his arms as he held her up. He always knew just how to touch her to bring her off.

The spent the rest of their time in the shower washing each other, sharing tender touches and soft kisses under the spray.

"I can't believe… we need to just have sex at Gibbs' house. He doesn't share any walls with neighbors."

"But he was busy tonight," Tony stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around himself before turning and holding out a towel for Abby, wrapping it tightly around her middle, just below her breasts. "There, wear it like that."

Abby rolled her eyes and readjusted the towel. "I know he was busy, but he keeps his door unlocked. We could have just…_ borrowed_ his bedroom."

"Yeah, I'm sure that would go over well," Tony laughed. He finished drying off and then brushed his teeth. "You're staying the night, right?"

"Can I?"

Tony pulled the towel from his waist and tried to snap Abby's bare thigh with it. "What do you think?"

Abby shrieked and then covered her mouth as she remembered the neighbor. They got ready for bed and Abby dug a clean shirt from Tony's drawer to sleep in. "You going to snuggle with me, Tony?"

Tony grinned and flipped off the lights. "Mmm hmm, but I can't be held accountable for my wandering hands at any point during the night." He felt his way through the dark to the bed and slipped under the covers. Abby was already in the middle and snuggled right into his arms. "G'night, babe." He let it slip before he could catch himself, but Abby only response was a gentle sigh as she fell asleep.

* * *

TBC

Thanks again to those that are following along.


	16. Chapter 16

Sorry about the delay. Spent the past few days in a hotel while the floors were being refinished and they had the most sketch wi-fi. But I'm back now. Enjoy!

-"Our mistress of the dark has been keeping secrets from us," Tony handed Gibbs the file he had complied. He wished the director hasn't been around, but when it came to Abby's safety, he wasn't going to hold back.

Gibbs scanned over the files, and felt his jaw tighten. He jabbed the button in the elevator, sending them to autopsy. He was torn between wanting to shout at her and hold her as tight as possible. He found himself wondering if he could get away with both.

They strolled into autopsy and Gibbs set his jaw to keep from reacting at the sight of Abby with an oxygen mask over her face.

"What a stupid probie mistake, but I mean what kinda dealer laces his coke with-"

"We're not sure this was an accident, Abbs." Tony paced behind Gibbs, knowing that if he was within reach of her, he'd grab her.

"Not sure, meaning what?" McGee asked.

"We think that whoever setup the crime scene might be after Abby," Ziva said ruefully.

"Me? Who would want to kill me?" Abby laughed nerviously. "I mean, Tony I can understand, but…"

"Hey!"

"The name Mikel Mawher ring a bell?" Gibbs interrupted.

Abby glanced away embarrassed. She'd hoped to get Mikel to go away without Gibbs ever worrying about it.

"It should, he placed over 200 phone calls to you over the last few months, one right before the accident." Ziva supplied.

"You went through my phone records?" Abby had been starting to like her, but she didn't appreciate people going through her private things.

"And your credit card bills. Did you really buy him a straightjacket for his birthday?" Tony jumped in before Gibbs could continue. This had gone from a work issue to a personal issue.

McGee's head snapped up, a thread of jealousy in his voice. "Sounds like you two were pretty serious."

"Until she filed a restraining order against him." Tony snapped.

"How come we never heard about this gentleman?" Ducky asked gently. He understood the frustration on Gibbs' and Tony's behalf, but snapping at Abby wasn't going to accomplish anything.

"Okay, I dated him last year and things just got a little out of hand."

Tony continued to pace. "Did I mention the restraining order?"

"Okay, a lot out of hand."

Gibbs leaned forward with a hand on either side of her legs where she sat on the autopsy table. Moving into her bubble, he forced her to make eye contact. "Why didn't you come to me, Abby?"

"Because, Gibbs. I wanted him restrained, not beaten to a pulp with a baseball bat. And I'm embarrassed. It was a bad choice in boyfriends. But it's over. He's creepy, and he can't accept that we're over. But he's not the violent type, I promise."

Gibbs shook his head.

* * *

Being forced to go home with McGee wasn't easy. Not just because she didn't want him to get his hopes up, but because it felt like punishment. Gibbs knew she wouldn't feel safe unless she was with him or Tony, but he still chose to leave her behind with McGee.

And then Mikel had come after her. Gibbs had been a little more understanding the second time around and allowed her to stay in her lab. But when Mikel called and appeared outside her window, Abby had enough.

"If he can get to me on the navy yard, he can get to me anywhere, Gibbs. I'm not safe anywhere!"

"Shh," Gibbs held her tightly to his chest, "I know somewhere he can't get to you."

* * *

The minute they were inside his house, Gibbs locked up and pulled the curtains. Mikel couldn't get in, but he didn't want him looking in either. "Abby…" His voice was a mixture of warning and relief. Everything had been happening so quickly, Gibbs hadn't even had the chance to deal with the fact that she was in danger.

"I'm so sorry, I honestly didn't think he was dangerous and I-"

Tony stood with his back to the door, watching as Abby paced and apologized. He was angry. He could understand that going to Gibbs was hard. And she was right that Gibbs would've taken drastic measures to make sure Mikel didn't get near her. He thought back to the threat Gibbs had issued when they first picked up MIkel – the only reason he could still walk was because Gibbs had only just heard about him. But she had to know that she could come to him. He'd move heaven and earth to protect her, but unlike Gibbs, since nothing had happened yet, he would've been more open to listening to her concerns first, rather than grabbing his gun and taking care of the situation.

"Go upstairs, Abby. Get some sleep," Gibbs nodded to the stairs.

"Are you guys-"

"We've got some files to go through. Get some sleep."

Abby looked to Tony, but he refused to make eye contact. "I'm not ready to sleep, I'm going downstairs."

They left her to pace in the basement while they continued to look over all the files that they had. But when Abby didn't come back up after two hours, Gibbs decided to go get her and send her to bed. He was about to send Tony to bed as well. They needed to be well rested so they could think things through. He was surprised to see that Abby had hit the bottle while alone in the basement, and he had to keep his smile in check as she mumbled and slurred about how wrong she was, and that it was all her fault.

He grimaced as she chiseled a piece of wood from his boat, but that seemed to sober her up a bit and she willingly handed over the tool and the alcohol.

"Is Tony still mad at me?"

Gibbs cocked his head to the side. They had all been frustrated, but never outright made _at _her. "He's not mad at you," Gibbs stroked his fingers through her hair as she leaned into him. He was upset that you didn't come to us, that you didn't trust us to handle this for you. He's mad at Mawher and the fact that none of us even had a clue about what was going on. But he was never mad at you."

"He wouldn't even look at me."

"Go on up, I sent him up to get ready for bed too. He's waiting." Gibbs gave her a nudge toward the stairs and followed her up as soon as he made sure everything was locked up and the lights were off.

Tony was sitting against the headboard in Gibbs' bed, looking more at home than Abby had ever seen him. She let her gaze fall away as she headed to the bathroom, snagging a clean shirt from Gibbs along the way. "I'm sorry." She stood in the doorway from the bathroom.

"Come here," Tony pulled back the covers and motioned to the middle of the bed. As soon as she was sitting beside him, Tony wrapped her up in a tight hug and buried his nose in her hair. "I don't know what I would've done if I lost you to that nut job. I love you, Abby," he confessed, "and it kills me that you couldn't come to me about him."

Gibbs was standing in the doorway and tried not to display a look of shock at the open confession, though if pressured, he would admit to feeling the same. He still didn't think he could ever use the L-word a loud to anyone else, no matter how hard he tried.

"I'm so sorry, it had nothing to do not trusting you, but… we've been in a good place, you know? I didn't want to ruin that."

Gibbs finally moved toward the bed and reached out to wrap his hand around hers. "We're not in a good place if you think you need to lie to us. I get why you did it, but you can't keep this sort of stuff from us." He squeezed her hand a little tighter. "I can't lose you, Abbs."

"You won't."

* * *

Gibbs was more than ready for the entire case to be over. Now with Mikel in custody and Abby on her way to court, Gibbs was ready to relax.

"Just got off the phone with the Federal Marshall. He's running late, someone slashed a tire on his van. Should be here within 20 minutes." Director Shepard said as she flicked through a file.

Gibbs' head snapped up. "Abby left with someone ten minutes ago." He snapped his fingers, bringing his agents attention to him, McGee you track her cell phone. Ziva, bring up all the security footage. DiNozzo, with me." They rushed to a car and Gibbs peeled out of the garage in record speed. Tony dialed McGee so they could get her location the minute McGee found it.

"Guys, you're right on top of her… you can't see her?" McGee's voice trembled with worry.

Gibbs skidded the car to a halt. They were in the middle of a large industrial area and Gibbs knew she could be in any one of the big warehouses. He opened the car door and got out. Circling around the front of the car, he found Abby's cellphone on the ground.

"Boss… you hear that?" Tony stopped and tried to listen. A large semi backed up to an unloading dock and behind it they saw a dark van. As they ran closer, their guns drawn, they could hear screams from inside. Tony reached for the door to slide it open, both ready to shoot.

Gibbs jumped out of the way just before a man tumbled to the ground, two barbs stuck to his chest as Abby repeatedly pulled the trigger on the Taser gun.

"I'll be with you in a minute, boys…." She screamed and pulled the trigger again, sending a jolt of electricity through the man's chest.

* * *

Gibbs was relieved once Terry Spooner was locked up. Not only had the hit man rolled over on him at the threat of letting Abby continue her torture, he gave up a few more secrets to insure that Spooner would see the inside of a jail cell for the rest of his life.

Tony and Abby chatted happily as they rode back to NCIS and Gibbs was in a pretty decent mood too, until Ziva caught his eye and motioned for them to set aside for a minute.

"Gibbs, Mikel might not have been behind the attack, but while you were at the courthouse with Abby, McGee and I decided to dig a little further… and we found this…" She held up an evidence bag with a gun and a piece of paper. "It's a suicide note; he's forged Abby's signature on it."

"Is he still here?" Gibbs was ready to end it all.

Ziva shook her head. "No, the director said she wanted to hand it over to the FBI since Abby is one of ours. And she knew that you would kill him," she nodded to where he was already reaching for his gun.

Gibbs didn't want to tell her about Mikel and the suicide note, but he knew he had to. It wasn't something that he could keep from her since she would likely need to testify against him in court. She sat quietly as he explained it to her and Tony once they were back at her place. She hadn't slept in her own bed for a few nights and she wanted some of her own comforts. But as Gibbs told her everything he had heard from Ziva, she felt a chill run through her and she wasn't sure she would ever warm up again.

"You're sure..? I mean, you're sure that he wrote it?"

Gibbs nodded. This wasn't the time to berate her on her choice of boyfriends, but he couldn't help but wonder what she ever saw in the guy.

"I… I'm gonna make us some cocoa. Coffee, boss?" Tony stood. He knew it must be hard to have her mistake on display like this, so he decided he'd give them a few minutes to talk about it. He figured the less people she had to explain herself to, the better.

Abby and Gibbs both nodded and watched Tony head for the kitchen. "I don't even know what to say, Gibbs. I never… _oh my God_." She wanted to scream and cry, but knew it wouldn't do any good.

"Look at me," Gibbs gently tilted her face to his so that she was looking at him. "No matter who you're with, I will keep you safe, understood?"

Abby nodded.

"I love you, Abbs. No one will hurt you. Ever."

* * *

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Just when we're happy and throwing the L-word around…

* * *

Abby sat quietly by Gibbs' bedside, holding his hand. She watched as his eyes flicked back and forth beneath his eyelids and she prayed silently for him to just give her a sign that he was going to be okay. The doctors were confused as to why he wasn't waking up, his injuries weren't life threatening and they said that it was almost as if he didn't want to wake up.

"Come on, I love you too much to lose you," she rubbed her cheek to her shoulder to wipe away a tear that had escaped.

They had just learned about his dead wife and daughter, and suddenly everything made sense to Abby. The guilt he seemed to carry every time a child was involved in their case, his reluctance to be romantically involved – rather keeping their status along the lines of friends with benefits. Though she thought they were making progress. Just days before, he had actually told her that he loved her, and while she believed it, it had taken almost losing her twice for him to actually say it. And now she understood why.

"We'll help you, we all will. We'll get you through this and whatever else you need help with." Abby brushed her lips over his knuckles and looked up when she thought she felt his fingers twitch in her hand. "Gibbs?" She watched quietly for a few minutes before letting out a tired sigh.

"How's he doing?"

Abby looked up at Ducky with a sad smile. "The same," she shrugged. "I keep asking him to please just give us a sign, and every time I think he's moved or something… it's just some involuntary twitch or something. He doesn't want to come back to us."

"His body has been through a lot, give him time. Perhaps it's for the best that he sleeps through the worst of it. No doubt his injuries will be painful." Ducky rested a warm hand on her shoulder and looked over Gibbs' stats. "They are going to wean him off his pain meds to see if that will help him to wake up."

"But won't that hurt him?"

Ducky nodded. "Perhaps a bit. They won't completely take him off; he'll still be getting enough to take the edge off. They just need him to wake up so they can assess if there is any brain damage."

Abby's head snapped up. "Brain damage?"

"He was knocked quite hard and while there isn't any residual swelling, there could be some…"

"I don't know what I'll do if he… he has to come back to us, Ducky."

"I know." Ducky bent to press a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "Why don't you go home and get some rest. I'll call you immediately if anything changes, okay?"

"I can't leave him."

"You can. Go home, shower and get a few hours of sleep. You know how he worries when you don't take care of yourself. You don't want him to wake up and see that, do you?"

Abby thought for a moment and shook her head. "You'll call-"

"If he so much as flickers his eyes open. I promise."

"Where are the others?"

Ducky sighed. "Still working the case, I'm afraid. Tony said he would try to stop by later, but the Director…"

"I know," Abby nodded. "This goes beyond just Gibbs. Okay, I'll go home for a bit, but please call."

"I will." Ducky watched her get up and then moved into her spot beside Gibbs' bed.

* * *

Abby was just finishing blow-drying her hair when the phone rang. She had managed to get about four hours of sleep, but then woke from a nightmare and refused to try and close her eyes again. She took a quick spin in the shower and was getting ready to go back to the hospital when Ducky's name flashed on the caller ID. "Ducky is he awake?"

"Yes, my dear, he's just woken up and is with the doctor now, but I-"

"Ducky, you sound… off what's wrong? What is it?" Abby scrambled to grab her things and head for her car.

"I can fill you in on all the details once you're here. But the doctors believe he will make a full recovery."

* * *

Ducky met her in the hallway, and turned away from Director Shepard. "Abigail, slow down. You can't go in there yet."

"What's going on? Why can't I?"

"He's woken up, but he believes he's back in Kuwait. He thinks he just lost his wife and daughter." Jen explained.

"What?"

"Retrograde amnesia, my dear. He's just a little… confused at the moment."

Abby looked through the window into his room. Gibbs looked frantic as he spoke to Mike Franks, his former boss. The doctor was trying to explain things, but it was clear that Gibbs was only listening to Franks. Briefly he looked over at her through the window, but gave no indication of knowing her. "Wait, if he thinks it's 1991, he doesn't remember me at all. Doesn't remember any of us." She turned to look at Ducky again. "He doesn't remember me, does he?"

"I'm sorry, my dear…"

Abby turned away from him to hide her tears. "I should get to the lab."

* * *

Abby worked tirelessly in her lab, helping Tony, Ziva and McGee in any way she could. She refused to go home, believing that the harder she worked, the more likely Gibbs was to remember her. The brief break she did manage was in the early hours of the morning when Tony had taken her to the director's office and tucked her in on the sofa. Jen was busy in MTAC and the couch was more comfortable than her futon. She managed an hour or two, but when Tony went to check on her, she was back in her lab.

Tony was about to call it a night and offer to take Abby home – they both were in dire need of sleep, when he realized that he hadn't seen Ziva around. They were sitting in the squad room when the elevator dinged and Gibbs strolled out, Ziva trailing close behind.

"Gibbs!" Tony jumped up; he hadn't been expecting to see him.

"Gibbs, what are you…" Abby rushed toward him and threw her arms around him.

"Abbs…"

"You remember," she squealed happily.

With an arm still around Abby, Gibbs reached out to shake Ducky's hand. "Course I remember you guys. No time to talk now," he let go and rushed up the stairs.

"Aww, you didn't forget me, boss." Tony rubbed the back of his head. A headslap had never felt more welcoming.

Abby was practically buzzing as they waited in the squad room. He hadn't said much of anything to Ziva once he remembered; only that she had to get him to NCIS as quickly as possible. As soon as she heard the door to MTAC open, Abby's smile grew. She couldn't wait to get her hands on Gibbs again. She knew he didn't like to be fussed over, but she had plans when it came to his care. "Gi-" his name died on her lips at the expression on his face.

Abby watched quietly as Gibbs went to his desk to grab his badge and gun. The grim look on his face meant he wasn't likely to want company, but she wasn't willing to completely let him go alone. Her heart sank when he turned to Tony and placed both items in the agent's hands.

"You'll do." Gibbs said with a shrug. He then turned to McGee and nodded to Tony. "You're a good agent; don't let him tell you otherwise."

Abby felt sick as Gibbs approached and it took everything she had to not let the tears fall. She started to speak, ask what was going on, but he pressed a finger to her cheek and leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek.

He pulled away and headed toward the elevator, pausing in front of Ziva to tell her that he owed her. And with that he was gone.

* * *

The team was stunned and no one wanted to believe that he would really just quit that that. Gibbs was no quitter, so it was assumed that after a good night's sleep, he would reconsider. Tony took Abby home and they curled up together in his bed. Neither was interested in, nor had the energy for sex, but both knew that without the warmth of the other, sleep would never happen.

"Tony," Abby nudged him gently, "Tony, wake up."

"Hmm?" Tony stretched and glanced at the clock. The alarm for work wasn't set to go off for another hour. "You okay?"

"We have to go see Gibbs before work, we have to go talk to him." Abby pulled the covers back and nudged Tony to the side. It was then that he noticed that she was already dressed for the day.

"How long have you been up?"

Abby shrugged. "I couldn't really sleep, so I took a hot shower and got ready for the day. "Hurry," she nudged him again.

"Yeah, alright."

It was just past six when they pulled up outside Gibbs' house. His car was there, but the lights were off and everywhere they looked, there was no sign of the man himself. Tony couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of grief, though he said nothing, not wanting to trigger Abby into feeling the same if she didn't already. "Come on, Ducky took him home, but maybe they spent the night at Ducky's house. Gibbs really shouldn't be alone for a few nights, we'll talk to Ducky at work."

Abby nodded, but said nothing. There was something missing from his house, she just couldn't pin-point what it was. The moment they found Ducky in the lab, Abby knew something was wrong. "Ducky…"

"Abigail," Ducky let out a heavy sigh and nodded to Tony as he led Abby to a chair at his desk.

"Ducky, you scare me when you say my name like that," she didn't want to sit, but she did anyway.

"I debated calling you last night, but… I guess I was hoping you'd get a decent night of sleep."

"Ducky, what's going on?" Tony rested a hand on Abby's shoulder.

"Jethro left for Mexico late last night."

"Mexico?" Abby gasped. "For what? And how long?"

Ducky shrugged. "Forever, by the sounds of it."

"No!" She jumped up and twisted away from Tony as he tried to calm her down. "He can't do that! He can't do that to me!"

"Abby-" Tony started.

"No, he can't do that to you either! He can't do that to any of us, Ducky we have to-"

Ducky pulled her into a hug, fighting her until she gave in and hugged him back. "There is nothing we can do. He's angry, hurt. He's reliving all his feelings of grief. I can't say what the future holds, but for now… nothing will bring him back. Not even you, my dear."

For two weeks Abby was content to ignore the fact that Gibbs was gone, acting as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Tony was too busy learning the ropes, working closely with the director to be able to notice much, but he heard McGee and Ziva talking about it over a late dinner in the office.

"What about Abby?"

"It's like she is oblivious to the fact that Gibbs is gone," Ziva commented. "She's happy, but it's… too happy. Has she even cried about it?"

McGee shook his head. "I doubt it. She hardly even goes home, and everyone that I've talked to has said they are waiting for her to fall apart."

Tony thought quietly. He hadn't been sleeping well and at night, when he was alone, he thought about calling her, but somehow he couldn't. He couldn't welcome her into his bed only to watch her walk away like Gibbs had. It was only a matter of time before she left him too.

"DiNozzo," Director Shepard broke his train of thought.

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you come on up to my office, I have some things to discuss."

* * *

Tony felt awful. He hated lying to his team and worse, he hated lying to Abby. She had suggested a night out together, but he had turned her down and tried to ignore the flash or hurt that he saw in her eyes. As the weeks turned into one month, then two, Abby slowly dealt with her loss and the overly cheerfulness drained into a few weeks of melancholy and then eventually she came back to her normal self. They all still caught her looking at Gibbs' photo on occasion, but for the most part she was moving on.

Tony felt guilty every time he had to turn her down – it didn't matter if it was work related or for private reasons. And the one time he found himself in bed with the director, he felt sick by the time he made it home. Jenny had been a gracious and giving lover, but had made it clear it was only about the release – there had been no feelings involved.

Slowly he forced himself more and more into Jeanne's life. Torn between guilt and genuine feelings, Tony often found himself pulling away from Jeanne in the last minute, Abby weighing heavy on both his heart and mind.

He knew the exact moment when Ziva started to question what he was doing outside of work. The way she looked at him, subtly questioned him about his plans – he knew. He thought about pulling her aside to fill her in. His team needed to know, but Jen had made it clear that the rest of his team was not included in the _need to know_ of the case. But if Ziva figured things out, it would only be a matter of time before McGee found out. And if McGee knew something, he had no way of fending off Abby.

When Ziva first disappeared, Tony was surprised that it was Abby that she turned to first, over him. And it had him wondering if he had taken is job with Jeanne too serious. Ziva and Abby had never been close, but as he thought back over the past few months, he remembered hearing about girls' night in passing.

But what hurt the most was to find that Gibbs was back.

He had come back for Ziva, of all people. Tony would be more understanding, more forgiving if it had been for Abby, but to find him in his basement with Ziva was a second slap to the face. It basically told him that everything they had shared physically – had been just that. Physical.

It felt like his heart was in a vice-like grip. Silly him for believing that there was anything more.

But pushing his personal feelings aside, he turned his focus to fighting for Ziva's freedom. He felt bad, guilty even, when she sat bruised and battered from the fight with the real killer. He knew her first instinct would have led her to kill the suspect, but she had held back to get the confession.

There were mountains of paperwork to be completed, and by the time Tony was finished he had convinced himself that confronting Gibbs would be the best way to put things to rest. "Where's Gibbs?"

"He left."

"No… without saying goodbye?" He felt panic start to rise. Not again, he didn't walk away from them again. "You mean he just went home?"

Ziva nodded.

For the first time in weeks, Tony went to find Abby with the intent to take her home. But instead of finding her in her lab, he saw that she was gone. He in the parking lot, about to head to her front door when his cell phone rang.

Jeanne.

Torn between a night with Abby and the possibility of a future with Jeanne, Tony started his car and drove away.

* * *

Tbc…


	18. Chapter 18

To the anon that keeps reviewing chapter one:  
Ich hörte dich das erste mal! Dank für das lesen.

* * *

"I'm meeting Abby, so unless it's a case, I can't stay." Ziva started packing her stuff, getting ready to leave.

Tony glanced up, and then looked over to Michelle Lee. "Lee will finish up that folder for you," he didn't like to just let Ziva leave, but ever since Gibbs had shown up and left again without a goodbye, Tony was concerned about Abby. He wanted to talk to her for himself, but Jeanne was becoming more and more important and it was difficult to lead two lives. He was Tony DiNozzo at work, but changed to DiNardo as soon as he walked through the doors. It was easier that way, but it hurt to not have Abby by his side. She reached out to him on occasion, but it was becoming less and less as the weeks wore on and it made things easier for him to just leave at the end of the day. But what hurt the most was to see her confiding in others over him. She acted as though nothing was wrong, or off while they were at work, but he knew nothing of her life outside of NCIS. He hardly heard about the nuns anymore either.

* * *

Tony barely glanced up when the elevator dinged, but when he did, he did a double-take. "Gibbs!" He wanted to hate the man rushing up to the director's office without so much as a hello, but he couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope that things could go back to the way they were. The way things were when they were happy. Or at least he thought they were happy. He craved that feeling of security. Gibbs always had his back, and Abby just had him. "Did you…" Tony looked to McGee and Ziva and then back to the stairs and Gibbs' retreating back. "Is he..?"

They waited silently, watching for his return, the three of them jumping to their feet when he headed back toward them. "I'm here to help Fornell with a case we worked a few years back. Derrick Paulson."

They stood around in shock until Gibbs cleared his throat, sending them into a frenzy of trying to dig up as much info on the case as possible. It was a whirlwind as they worked together, and for a few hours Tony was able to forget the fact that he was the boss, and fall easily back into his role following Gibbs' lead.

* * *

Gibbs stood outside the lab, watching as Abby tapped her foot to the beat of the music she had playing. He saw the photo that she had of him on the screen, and as he listened over the music, he realized she was talking to him as she looked over what looked like a journal of some sort.

"Anything good?" He strolled up behind her and set a CafPow on the desk.

"Yeah, it's a jailhouse appeal from a convict. This guy really knows his forensics…."

Gibbs watched with amusement as she answered him, seemingly unaware that he was really there. He knew the exact moment she recognized him, her body tensed before she turned and flung herself at him.

"Oh my God, you're back! I knew it!"

"I'm not back."

"Of course you're back, I can feel your badge. Wait, that is your badge, right?" Her eyes sparkled and for a brief moment Gibbs wasn't sure what he had come to see her for.

Gibbs lifted his badge from his belt. "Reinstatement is only temporary. Until I can find Paulson." He felt the grip of guilt slowly clawing at him over the look of sadness in her eyes.

"We'll see about that. So what can I do for you, temporarily reinstated Agent Gibbs?"

Gibbs wanted to reach out to her, tell her that everything would be okay, but it wasn't something he could promise her. But for the first time in four months, he found himself truly missing their friendly, flirtatious banner. The first two months, before he'd returned to help Ziva, he had been drunk most of his waking hours and hadn't had time to think about much beside where his next drink would come from. But having seen Abby briefly while he was in town to help Ziva had sparked something that left him unsettled. It had pushed him back into the bourbon bottle for the first week he was back in Mexico, but Franks had soon tired of his behavior and had set out a list of things for him to do.

He spent long hours up on the roof, thinking about his relationship with Abby as he replaced the shingles. It had taken him a few weeks to fully remember just how close he had been with Abby and the more he started to remember, the more he started to remember the feel of Tony in his bed. He couldn't quite piece together how the three of them had ended up in bed together, but the more he thought about it, the more he remembered.

He was focused when it came to helping Fornell catch Paulson. He liked his cases wrapped up nice and neat, and he didn't have time to think about personal stuff until that was done.

"Sorry Gibbs, you're a flight risk."

He had never expected Abby so go as far as she had, but at the same time, being physically handcuffed to the woman brought out emotions that he couldn't even begin to understand. "Abby! We've got to figure out how Paulson knows everything that we do."

"I know, and I've been working on it…" Abby ignored the fact that they were handcuffed together and started about her business in the lab, dragging Gibbs around with her.

He allowed it for a few minutes, but then stopped moving with her, bringing Abby to a halt. "Abbs…" He lifted their joined wrists. "You can't work this way."

"Yes I can," she snapped. "If it means you can't run off."

"Abby," his voice was tinged with irritation.

"Gibbs! You left without even saying goodbye! You can't just leave like that again, I can't-"

"I know." He sighed. He knew it had been uncalled for, leaving without saying goodbye. But at the time he had been hit with several memories that he didn't know how to deal with. "I know."

"You… you know? Like, you won't just run off again without…" she frowned, "without saying goodbye?" She reached for the key and unlocked them both.

"No goodbyes." He wanted to lean in to kiss her cheek, but held himself back. "Call when you find something."

* * *

Gibbs knew it had been wrong to leave the night before without telling anyone. And he was surprised that Abby hadn't shown up on his doorstep. But he needed the time, the quiet to process that he was really staying.

Jen had assured him that everyone wanted him back, but besides Abby's little stunt with the handcuffs, Gibbs wasn't so sure. Ducky had been short with him and Tony looked worried, unsure of his place every time Gibbs was around.

McGee had seemed pleased to see him. He could imagine the shift from the co-workers to employee/boss had been hard on McGee. And Ziva rarely showed emotion at all, but he didn't think she truly cared one way or another.

He felt a stab of guilt when Tony arrived to find all his stuff piled back on his old desk, but beneath the look of shock on his face, there was something else… relief, possibly. McGee had been happy to move back to his old desk, and Michelle looked a little lost, but also relieved.

"Boss?" Tony looked up from organizing his desk drawer. "Abby know you're back for good? Because I stopped by her lab on the way in and she seemed… I dunno, lost."

"I'm going for coffee." It was his universal sign that he would take care of it. He make a quick detour for a Caf-Pow! and then headed to the lab. The lab was quiet, and Gibbs felt a sense of déjà vu as he watched her bent over some folders on the table. He set the Caf-Pow beside her and waited.

"Not interested."

"You feeling okay?"

Her head snapped up at the sound of his voice. "I thought you…"

"Left? I said, no goodbyes."

"Yeah, and I thought that meant that you couldn't say goodbye, so you wouldn't." She stood slowly and then wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "I thought you were gone."

Gibbs held her tight, enjoying the warmth she brought to his body. "Had to go home and unpack."

Abby pulled back just enough to look him in the eye. "So you're staying? Really staying?"

Gibbs nodded and let his eyes close as Abby leaned in. She kissed him on the lips, gently at first. He squeezed her a little tighter and their kiss deepened until they had to break apart. "Abbs, I can't…" He still had so much to sort through in his mind.

"I know," Abby pulled back, and adjusted his jacket. "I know. I'm just glad you're back."

* * *

Tony wasn't prepared when Jenny offered him his own team. Part of him wanted to take it and run. Let Gibbs and Abby have each other, or not. While Abby had been thrilled to have him back, she had been guarded and hesitant every time he had seen them together. Like maybe she wasn't quite sure she believed he would stay. He could go to Spain and live it up.

The sun and sand.

Weekends in Italy or France.

That was the way DiNozzo's were meant to live, right? At least, that's what his dad had taught him. He could come up with a list a mile long as for why it would be a good idea to take the job and leave everything behind. He could probably pack up everything he wanted to take with in two suitcases. Furniture was replaceable; half of his clothes would never work in Spain. Though the large collection of 007 posters he had received from Abby for Christmas, those would need to ship. But that was it. Well, he pondered over all of his belongings, the bar top Gibbs had made for him would also need to be shipped. Gibbs hasn't actually made it for him. They had been talking in his basement and Tony had asked what the large piece of wood was for. It had been extra and Tony had asked what he could make out of it. Gibbs threw out the term 'bar top' and Tony's eyes had lit up. He asked Gibbs to show him how to make it, but Gibbs had brushed him off. Three months later, Gibbs stood in the parking lot of his apartment, the day before Christmas and barked at him to get down there and help him carry it up. Gibbs had refused to call it a Christmas present, but Tony knew better.

In the end he told Jen he was staying. He couldn't tell her that he was staying because of Jeanne, so he decided to let her believe he was staying because of the team. But certainly not because of Gibbs. Or Abby.

* * *

Abby didn't know what to do. She was glad to have Gibbs back, though he didn't seem to fully remember where things had been between them, but that was okay, she told herself. That, she could wait out. But she didn't get why Tony was pulling away from them both. She knew the director had him on some super-secret mission, but she had hoped that they could start to patch things up between the three of them. But every time she invited Tony over or ask if he wanted to grab dinner, he politely refused.

She was surprised to see Mike Franks again and for a split second, she was worried that it meant that Gibbs was running away again, but Mike quickly put her at ease. "So you're the one whose memory was keeping him up at night," Mike laughed. "Good to meet you, again, under better circumstances." He lifted Abby's hand to his lips.

"Well you're friendly."

"Always to a pretty lady." Abby felt her cheeks go red, but before she could say anything, Franks grinned past her. "You know Probie, if you wanna come back to Mexico, you should bring this one with ya."

Gibbs didn't seem too amused.

* * *

Once Mike Franks was gone again, Abby hoped that things would start to settle. Gibbs was still hesitant to be around her and Tony tapped danced around all her invitations. Before long Abby wasn't sure what she could do and her invites slowly came to a stop.

By mid-October Abby was trying to focus on herself. She went out with friends and flirted with strangers, but never had any interest in any of the men that she met. She tried to keep upbeat, but it was hard. The two people who meant the most to her were both keeping her at an arm's length, and unless she was totally blind, they were mostly avoiding each other.

On Halloween she was set to have a good time. Carol had picked out her Marilyn Monroe costume and it had given her the confidence boost that she needed. Two hours into the party, her phone rang and Gibbs called her in. The team was out when she arrived, so she got set up in her lab and started with the evidence she had already. She wasn't surprised that McGee made a bee-line for her lab, but the fact that Tony was with him and just as speechless was unexpected. With how often he had turned her down for almost everything – dinner, movie, etc – she had fully expected him to avoid her lab during Halloween. Everyone knew she went full steam with her costume.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have food in my teeth or something?" It wasn't like either of them to stay so quiet.

"Or something," Tony sighed.

She had more time to think, wondering if Gibbs would take notice of her costume. She didn't think he would. He had been holding back around her and avoiding her when possible. But this case featured a kidnapped girl, and now that she knew Gibbs' had lost a daughter, she had no doubt he was focused solely on the case.

"No bad, for a blonde." Gibbs whispered in her ear before turning toward the door.

"You know, there is not statistical evidence that blondes have a lower IQ."

"I'll take your word for it."

Gibbs was almost gone before she spoke again. "There's more if you're interested, Mr. President." She wasn't sure if Gibbs' had heard her, but when he peeked around the corner again, a grin on his face, Abby was ready to forget the case and push him to the elevator. Only the fact that a little girl was involved made her refocus.

Ducky laughed when Abby suggested taking Sarah trick-or-treating around the squad room while the case was wrapped up. "I suppose hitting up Anthony's desk will result in a large selection of goodies, assuming we can get him to part with anything."

"Come on," Abby reached out for Sarah's hand and the three of them headed up to the squad room. Ducky had made a quick call upstairs to let them know they were coming, and to be sure they had something for the little girl. They approached Tony's desk first and when he offered up a small, single piece of candy, Abby leaned over his desk and reached further back into his desk, pulling out a full-size candy bar.

Next they turned to McGee who managed to drop a handful of candies in her bag. When they turned toward Ziva, Abby happened to look up and catch Gibbs looking down at them with a smile. She started to smile back, but suddenly realized that while he was looking at them, he was seeing something else.

* * *

TBC…

Dear Gosgirl… like 8 chapters, please.


	19. Chapter 19

I hate writing Hollis Man, so until things are more, well, _serious_, I'm trying to more mention just thoughts about her.

* * *

Gibbs was surprised when Hollis Mann showed up at his house, found him in the basement and proceeded to give a basic profile on him. "You want to know my toothbrush color too?"

Hollis rolled her eyes. "Wanted to know more about you before we become involved."

Gibbs quirked an eyebrow, "Involved?"

"The case," she clarified.

Gibbs wasn't sure what to make of this woman. She was clearly head-strong and made her intentions clear, which he liked, but she was borderline stepping on his toes in the case. And it was _his_ case. But as the case progressed, Gibbs found himself enjoying her company. He knew his team was talking, but with Tony caught up in some sort of relationship, and Abby seeming to have moved on, Gibbs turned his attention toward Hollis, slowly allowing himself to open up to her.

But Tony remained a mystery. He knew he didn't have the right to call DiNozzo out on his fake meetings and doctors' appointments, if he was working something critical for the director he didn't want to ruin Tony's focus. He'd just have to wait him out.

* * *

Seeing Gibbs check out Hollis Mann sent waves of emotion through Abby and for the first time in months she felt truly alone. Tony had been pulling away, but she assumed with Gibbs back that they could find their way back to the status quo they had before he left them. It wasn't even about the sex. She was lonely and she missed them. Dinner with Gibbs, movies with Tony, she hadn't seen either of them outside of work since Gibbs left. But seeing Gibbs interested in someone else they were working with, sealed the deal for Abby, and when she finally arrived home she fell on her couch and finally allowed herself to cry. She wasn't sure how long she cried, but she felt sick afterward and slowly made her way to the bathroom. She had intended to take a hot shower, but she felt weak, so instead she climbed into the tub and let the hot water surround her. She soaked until the water cooled to an uncomfortable temperature and then quickly washed her hair and got out. She needed dinner, but the effort needed to pull something together was too much and she headed for bed.

She was glad when the case was seemingly closed and she didn't have to deal with watching Gibbs and Hollis interact. Tony didn't seem to like Hollis, but it wasn't jealousy that she saw in him. He was more irritated at the way she treated him. She was still puzzled with the way Tony seemed so busy after work, but it wasn't until she spotted a smudge of lipstick on his shirt after he'd left for lunch that she finally put it all together.

"I'm happy for you," she stopped by his desk and had whispered those words to him, quietly enough that McGee and Ziva couldn't hear before continuing to her lab.

Tony didn't bring it up later, but every so often she saw him watching her with a thoughtful look on his face.

* * *

She always hated when anyone from the team was on protection detail. That meant that someone was in danger and if protection detail was needed, she hated that her people were first in the line of fire. She had to admit that she never would've expected the danger to come from a man falling from a high balcony in a hotel, but she was glad that no one else was hurt.

"Gibbs, I ran the pubic hair through major Mass Spec, but it's inconclusive. I need an infrared spectrophotometer if you want the details."

"How much?"

"$100,000."

"Do what you've got to do." He loved the way her eyes lit up at the suggestion of new equipment.

"Not in the budget," Director Shepard interrupted. "You're going to have to figure something else out."

Abby frowned and turned to her computer. "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Stepping into the forensics trade show, Abby wasn't sure her idea would work, but she had to try. She looked down at the map she had been given with her ticket, and scanned the different vendors until she found the one she was looking for. She circled around the event center until she spotted what she was looking for.

The man running the booth seemed shocked at her questions at first, but with a smile he was willing to help. Abby smiled and as they waited for the results on her sample, she found it exciting to talk to someone that knew what she was talking about as she spoke about the other tests she had run. When the results came back, she was hesitant to leave, but Marty moved quick to give her his card with his cellphone written on the back. "Maybe we could go bowling sometime?" He asked.

"You bowl?"

"A little more difficult at my size, but yeah, I bowl."

"No, I was just surprised because I bowl, too! Every Wednesday with the nuns!"

Marty smiled. "We should really go bowling some time."

Abby ducked her head with a small smile. "I'll call you."

* * *

Things seemed to settle down for a while in the office once McGee's sister was cleared of any wrong doing. Tony seemed to relax a little and his mysterious appointments seemed to be non-existent. Hollis Mann wasn't around either, but Abby couldn't help but wonder if Gibbs was still seeing her after work. There had been no contact out of work and it drove Abby nuts not knowing where she stood. She had seen Marty a few times for bowling with dinner or coffee after, but she felt like she was holding back.

But now her interest was in a robot car named Otto. Gibbs had just returned with it and she and McGee were supposed to figure out what happened. She was just heading leaving the squad room when she heard Gibbs' phone ring. The look on her face told her all she needed to know. Hollis Mann.

She tried to push the thoughts from her mind as she moved around the car, but it was hard. She didn't want to think of the _red light_ situations that Gibbs found himself in with Hollis around. She rolled her eyes at the thought of the sexual harassment seminar they had been at before the case had come in. The rest of the team was lucky to leave, but she hadn't been able to skip out until the evidence was back. She didn't realize McGee wasn't listening as she got in and shut the door. She tried to think of what Navy Lt. Roni Seabrook would have done in her place. As she went to click the seatbelt off, she was startled when the seatbelt tightened and pulled her back. She screamed for McGee, but he was mumbling to himself as he listened to the recordings. The windows rolled up and suddenly exhausted was being pumped into the enclosed car.

As things started to get fuzzy in her mind, the panic started creep in setting her body on fire as she stretched beyond limits to try and hit the kill switch.

Looking up, she saw the elevators open and Gibbs step out. Their eyes locked for a brief moment before his coffee hit the floor and he was running toward her. He couldn't get the car to open, so he went around to told her to cover her face. He easily broke the glass and reached for the kill switch. He was able to get her free from the seatbelt and started to pull her from the car.

"Permission to hug?"

"You never need to ask, Abbs…" He helped her to sit down on one of the tables.

"Boss, I only looked away for a minute…"

"Another minute and I'd have bought the farm, McGee."

Tony and Ziva rushed forward with their guns drawn until Gibbs stopped them and filled them in. "Tear this thing apart until you have what we need," he said gruffly to McGee. "Come on, Abbs. Ducky is taking a look at you." He helped her to her feet.

"I'm okay, just a few minutes and I'll be fine."

"It wasn't a suggestion." He let Tony and Ziva take her to Ducky while he detoured to interrogation, determined to find out why the car would do something like that. But it wasn't long before he was hurrying down to autopsy to see how Abby was. "She gonna be alright, Duck?"

"Oh, she'll be fine. As long as she didn't lose consciousness, then she should be fine." Ducky glanced at Abby with a smile as she sat with an oxygen mask on. "I've just recommended a few more minutes like this and then she can go back to work. I've told her to call me if she feels sick or gets a headache."

"How do you feel." Gibbs stepped up to Abby and leaned in close, resting a hand on either side of her on the autopsy table where she was sitting.

"I'm okay." For a brief moment she thought he was going to kiss her, but suddenly he turned away. "I want whoever is behind this caught. _Now._" And with that, he was gone.

* * *

As Gibbs headed down the basement steps, he felt tired – more so than usual – and like he had aged 20 years. Seeing Abby screaming for help was ingrained in his mind. It had taken every ounce of strength not to take her home and wrap himself around her and never let go. But things had been strained since he left. He knew it was his fault, but he didn't know how to fix it. And now she seemed interested in some guy named Marty – he'd over heard her mention him to Ziva and with Hollis hanging around every so often… he wanted the best for Abby and with how broken he knew he was, spending her life with him probably wasn't in her best interest. He'd figured that she and Tony would have made things official, but the more and more he watched his senior field agent, the more he was convinced that it wasn't just some side job he was doing for the director. There seemed to be real feelings involved. He wasn't going to get in the way of that.

He knew he hurt them both. The fact that they were able to work together was a testament to their love for their jobs. He knew that Tony had been offered the job in Spain. He wasn't sure why Tony didn't take it – his own team, living the life in Europe. Jen was vague when he asked what Tony's reasoning was, but it still kept him up at night.

And Abby… she was too forgiving. He knew he had broken her heart. He hadn't understood at first when he left – things were too fuzzy and he was buried in his grief for Shannon and Kelly, but had his mind been clearer, one look from her would have had him agreeing to stay – no question.

Yes, he decided, maybe it was best to let them move on.

* * *

Tbc..

Not sure if I'll update before, but if not… happy thanksgiving everyone!

Also, I am thankful for lovely readers like _YOU!_

_And if you could do me and some friends a quick favor - go here 2012/11/02/vote-for-your-favorite-2012-canstructure/ and vote for Seattle (lodge 29). The money won would go to the local food bank which could really use some help for the upcoming holidays. No signing up for anything or entering your email. Please and thank you!  
_


	20. Chapter 20

"But it will be difficult for him to spread a topical poison. I mean, how will he get everyone to touch something?" Abby looked over the test results.

"Boss, he's been taking out money at ATM's all over the city." Tony's head snapped up. "He's going to put it on the money."

"What's the easiest way to distribute money."

"I don't know, hand it out?" Hollis suggested.

* * *

As they rushed through Union Station, Gibbs knew he'd been poisoned. Things started to get fuzzy and he felt dizzy as he moved forward. He was about to sit down and ask for them to call Ducky, but he saw Sharif in the distance and as the man started to spread the money, he knew he had to continue on. He left his team to guard the money as he followed Sharif.

He followed the man into the bathroom and clutched the wall as he tried to stay upright. He wasn't sure what Sharif was saying to him, the words were starting to bleed together and Gibbs wondered briefly if the poison was deadly and if so, how fast did it work. Sharif pointed his gun at him and Gibbs found himself wondering if they'd let Abby see his body down in autopsy. Maybe Tony would accompany his body back. He didn't deserve it, he thought, but…

When gun shots startled him, he was surprised to see Sharif fall and Hollis come into view. "I've called the National Guard, they've got the antidote. You'll be fine."

Gibbs nodded and stared up the white tiles overhead as he tried to think back to what he had been thinking about. The National Guard wasn't far off, and he could hear Tony leading them into the bathroom. "Don't worry boss, we've got a hazmat team cleaning up the money, no one else touched it." Tony watched as the medics administered a shot of the antidote. "He's still going to the hospital to be checked over, right?"

"Probably a good idea," one of the medics suggested. "We've got an ambulance ready out front."

Before Hollis could volunteer, Tony spoke up. "I'll go along with."

Gibbs was quiet on the ride to the hospital, and submitted to the poking and prodding without question. "Boss, you sure you're starting to feel okay? You usually are out of here before the doctor can take a look."

"M'fine."

Tony nodded. "I uh, I called Abby… you might want to swing by her place, or at least call… you know, reassure her that you're okay. I told her you'd be just fine, but, well… you know how she worries, right?"

Gibbs sighed. "Yeah. I'll do that." When the nurses came back with his blood results, Gibbs was ready to leave and was thankful that they didn't suggest he spend the night. McGee showed up to drive them back to NCIS. Gibbs told them he was headed out, but left the two of them in charge of burning the money.

He knew Tony was right, and he planned to stop by Abby's place on the way home. But his first stop was Hollis. She had saved his life and he owed her a thank you. He was surprised that he was easily able to get up to her place, and let himself in. He called before barging into her bedroom, mostly to make sure she wasn't entertaining company.

"I'll buzz you in," she sounded happy he was there.

"No need," he nudged the door open, "I let myself in. You seem to have a similar habit at my place." He went to sit on the edge of her bed.

Hollis laughed. "Why'd you come over."

"To say thank you,"

"Oh?"

Gibbs watched as her eyelids fluttered closed. This was the sign that she wanted him to kiss her. With no one at home waiting for him, Gibbs slowly leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. In some way he felt as though he was cheating, though he couldn't exactly figure out why. He wasn't seeing anyone and the others had moved on. The thought that he was supposed to call Abby flitted through his mind, but the next thing he knew, Hollis had an arm around his neck and was pulling him closer.

He didn't think about Abby again until he was laying in the dark. They were both naked and while he was on his back staring up at the ceiling, Hollis clung to him as if she were afraid he'd run. Her breathing was slow and steady, Gibbs knew she was asleep. He lifted his head to glance at the alarm clock. It was after two in the morning – much too late, or early to call Abby now. He felt guilty, especially after Tony had specifically said that he had filled Abby in, but that she would want to hear from Gibbs himself. He closed his eyes to try and sleep, but rather than sleep, he relived the last time he had been in bed with both Tony and Abby. How hot and sweaty they'd all ended up. With Hollis, he had done most of the work while she laid on her back and groaned a few times as she touched herself. It had felt good, but there hadn't been much of a connection for Gibbs and that took out some of the enjoyment.

* * *

Abby let out a sigh of relief the following day when she finally saw for herself that Gibbs was fine. She didn't bring it up, the fact that he was poisoned, because as soon as she saw Hollis, she knew where Gibbs' had been. Looking at Gibbs, her first thought would've been that he had gone home to lick his wounds in the basement. But one glance at Hollis and Abby knew she's been thoroughly fucked. And the way she looked at Gibbs, Abby knew he had been involved. She felt a brief flash of satisfaction that he didn't look overly satisfied, but that quickly drained when she realized that he had been too caught up in Hollis' bed to call and tell her that he would be okay.

Tony watched from a distance as the emotions played out over Abby's face and he knew instantly that Gibbs' hadn't called her. He expected Abby to make a big deal out of it, but when Hollis showed up, Tony recognized the look on her fact and shook his head as he turned away. He couldn't understand how Gibbs could just push Abby away like that. But as he thought about it, he knew he was doing the exact same thing. Turning away in shame, Tony tried to busy himself with work.

* * *

"Abby's angry… I blame the probie," Tony pointed to McGee as he headed for his desk.

"What? Why? What did I do?"

"She is not angry at McGee," Ziva added. "She was angry about my shoes." She looked thoughtfully at her feet.

"She's not still upset about the nougat, is she?"

The three were still discussing Abby's frustrations while Gibbs talked to Hollis. Tony was interrupted when his phone rang. He answered it and then winced. "Boss, that was Abby… she wants us back down there."

Gibbs rolled his eyes at the way Tony hung back, letting Gibbs enter first. "Whatcha got, Abbs?"

"All the knives and things you found in Len Grady's house don't match any of the incisions and cuts on any of the victims." Abby reached for a pork chop on the table and handed it to Gibbs who then passed it off to Hollis. "But the cuts on pork chop _do_ match the ones on the victims. Whoever cut the pig is responsible for cutting up the victims."

"On it, boss." With one glance from Gibbs, Tony was headed out the door, Hollis following close behind. Hollis wasn't quite sure what she had done to piss Abby off, but Abby had made it clear a few weeks back, that she wasn't welcome in the lab.

Gibbs leaned against the table and looked at Abby. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her so visibly upset. Abby glanced at him and he did his best to convey that he had time to listen, if she needed to vent. Like always, she seemed to read his mind.

"You don't have time, Gibbs."

"I've got time, Abbs."

"Don't…" Abby sighed. "It's not a big deal, Gibbs. Go find your killer."

Gibbs shook his head. "Tony knows what he's doing. I've always got time for you."

Abby wanted to laugh at that statement, but she didn't. With a deep sigh, she started. "I was dating this guy, but he broke up with me because I'm _too much_ for him."

Gibbs froze as she rattled on. He had no idea that she had been seeing someone. In the past, before they had ever hooked up, she always came to him with a name and conveniently let him run a background search while she pretended to be busy with something else. She felt safer that way, and unbeknownst to her, Gibbs kept a record of their names and addresses just in case things went sour. But this time she hadn't even mentioned it to him – unless she had, but he had been too busy to realize. He knew she wasn't a fan of Hollis, but he didn't think much of it.

It hit him like a punch to the gut that Abby hadn't come to him and he wondered if Tony knew she had been seeing someone. She didn't seem too heart broken, so he didn't think they had been dating long, she seemed more upset that the guy couldn't handle her. Gibbs found himself clenching his fists by his side to keep himself from punching the wall. Abby hadn't been _moving on_ like he suspected, she was keeping herself busy.

"Thanks Gibbs, you always know the right thing to say," she said, standing and hugging him for the first time since he saved her from the car OTTO.

Gibbs nodded and turned to leave, needing some space to think.

* * *

McGee picked up his cell phone and saw 'Gibbs' flash on the screen. "Yeah, boss? You catch Malik?" He listened to what Gibbs said, glancing at Abby, his eyes going wide. "Yeah, ok. Sure." He hung up and turned to Abby.

"What is it? Did they catch him?" Abby could feel dread pooling in the pit of her stomach.

"He had a bomb strapped to him-"

"Oh my God, _no…"_

"Tony, Gibbs and Ziva are all fine, but… Paula Cassidy…" McGee shook his head. "I guess she knocked him into the secret room and the door shut and… she didn't make it."

Abby's eyes welled up instantly. She didn't know Paula well, but she knew Tony liked her and she had seemed nice enough. "Are they coming back? When will they be here?" She didn't know how close she had been to losing Tony and Gibbs all over again, but if Paula had died, she knew it had been close.

She knew Tony would have the hardest time dealing with it out of them all. At one point, if she'd had to guess, she would've picked Paula for the person he was secretly seeing on the side. But she had run into Paula downtown once and found that Paula hadn't been in the area for quite some time.

Despite the fact that Tony had been pushing her away, she hoped he would at least let her comfort him over the loss of Paula. It was unsettling to know that it could've been anyone on her team that had been killed. All she wanted was to spend some time wrapped up in a hug.

She waited in the squad room with McGee until the elevators dinged. She was ready to rush forward and hug them all, but held back when she realized that Tony wasn't with them. "Where's Tony?"

"I sent him home, he needs some time." Gibbs said, dropping into the chair behind his desk.

"Are… are you guys okay?"

Gibbs nodded as he put his gun and badge away. "Go home, I'll fill in the Director. Paperwork can wait until tomorrow," he dismissed them.

If Tony had been shaken up enough to be sent home, Abby knew he needed some comfort. She picked up some dinner, Chinese food from the place Tony preferred, and headed to his apartment. She didn't see his car in the parking lot, but it didn't deter her from heading up.

She knocked and waited. And waited. Eventually giving up, it finally dawned on her that he had gone to his girlfriend for support. Dumping the Chinese food in the garbage in the lobby of his complex, Abby headed home.

* * *

TBC….

Hope everyone (well, to those that celebrate it) had a wonderful Thanksgiving!


	21. Chapter 21

You know, for a threesome fic... we sure haven't had much sexytiems...

* * *

"McGee…. Agent McGregor can't marry Amy in the end… they're all wrong for each other."

"Abby…"

"No McGee," her voice was stern and she wasn't backing down. "They can't."

"Alright, come on… McGee," Gibbs glanced toward the door and watched as McGee went to find Tony and Ziva. "Hey, you okay?" Gibbs tilted her chin up so that she was forced to look at him.

She gave a slight nod, "Yeah, I'm alright. Just a little shook up."

"Why're you here?" he asked. It was unusual for her to spend the night when the nuns weren't around.

"Heat is out at my place," she shrugged.

Gibbs frowned. He'd have offered for her to stay at his place if he'd known. He felt sick that she didn't feel like she could come to him. "You'll stay with me tonight." He pulled her in for a hug and pressed his lips to her ear. "S'all over now."

Abby nibbled gently on her lower lip and then nodded. "Yeah, okay."

"Grab your stuff."

Abby handed Bert to Gibbs while she grabbed her overnight bag and shoved everything in that she had brought along for the night. When she was ready, Gibbs reached out a hand and led her out of the room and eventually outside.

Tony looked across the car after shoving Landon in the backseat, a little rougher than necessary and had to smile. Abby was in one of her more conservative night gowns standing with her bag in hand, slightly behind Gibbs. Gibbs stood tall with one hand wrapped around Abby's and her stuffed hippo under his other arm. For the briefest of moments, it was like the way things had been before.

"Never thought I would see Gibbs with a toy like that," Ziva smiled and nudged Tony.

"Yeah, amazing how he can make standing with a stuffed hippo look so badass."

"He would do anything for her, no? I wish they would just admit their feelings again."

"Maybe they already have."

"But nothing has changed."

"Hollis changed." Tony let that thought sink in, pushed away from the car and jogged toward Gibbs and Abby. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm going to take her home. I want you and Ziva to process him and talk to him about the others. I want McGee to listen in, but I don't want him talking to Landon once you're back at NCIS."

"On it boss." He turned and went back to the car. McGee was already in the passenger seat and Ziva in the back with Landon. Tony jumped in the driver's seat and pulled away, his tires screeching away from the curb.

"Come on," Gibbs gave a little tug and they walked down to where Abby's car was parked. She handed over the keys without him even asking, and he accepted them with a small smile. He opened the door for her, and waited until she was settled before handing her Bert and closing the door.

Once they were at his house, Gibbs walked Abby right up to his bed out of habit. She opted for something a little more practical to wear, and changed into her usual oversized tee long stolen from one of the guys and a pair of shorts.

"Need anything?"

Abby climbed between the sheets and sighed. "No. No, I'm okay."

"I'll check in on you in a bit, try and fall asleep, okay?" He bent to kiss her forehead and stroked his fingers over her cheek.

"Where are you going?"

"Basement." He needed a good 15-20 minutes to work the image of Landon pointing a gun at her head out of his mind.

"Oh, okay. But you won't leave the house?"

"Not going anywhere."

Abby snuggled down against the pillows and pulled one to her chest. "Okay." She decided to let herself believe that things were back to normal. On one had she wanted to move to the guest room, but his scent on the pillows made her feel safe and like she wasn't alone. So she decided to give herself over to a night of comfort.

* * *

Tony was surprised to find the basement light on when he pulled up in front of Gibbs' later that evening. Landon had refused to talk until he had a lawyer, so they sent him to lock up and headed home. He was a little concerned that McGee was taking the whole thing so personally, as if he had told Landon to go after Abby, but luckily Ziva had suggested a drink and McGee had accepted. Tony claimed he was fighting a headache and headed over to Gibbs instead. "What are you doing down here?" He went halfway down the basement stairs. "I came to check on Abby, is she upstairs?" He had meant to go home, but seeing her with a gun to her head had left an unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Just needed some time to clear my mind."

"Jethro," Tony said, using his first name for the first time in a long time. He continued down the stairs and pulled the sanding block from Gibbs hand when he reached his side. "I get that it scared you, it scared me, it scared us all, but she's okay."

Gibbs sighed, but Tony was right. He was no closer to getting the image of a gun trained on his girl out of his head than when he had first come down. And the fact that he kept thinking of her as _his _wasn't lost on him either. Together they headed up and made sure the house was locked up, the coffee maker ready and then continued upstairs to the bedroom. They peeked in to see Abby sound asleep and sprawled diagonally across the bed. Assured that she was ok, they continued with their bedtime routines and found their way to either side of the bed.

"Tony…" Gibbs wasn't sure he could handle them both spending the night. It was too much like… before.

"Just tonight, Gibbs… just to sleep."

"Yeah," Gibbs nodded. "Okay."

"Do we wake her?" Tony asked. With the way she was spread out, there wasn't room for either of them.

"You have more room on that side, maybe if you try and lay down, she move to you and then I can-"

"Or you could ask nicely," Abby mumbled and scooted to the center of the bed, bringing Gibbs' pillow with her.

"Didn't want to wake you." Both men slipped between the sheets and snuggled in close. Abby pressed her face to Tony's chest and relaxed completely when Gibbs curled up behind her, his breath warm against the back of her neck as they shared a pillow.

"Night boys, love you," she whispered as she drifted between sleep and consciousness.

Neither man could answer.

* * *

As she woke, Abby couldn't fight the smile that tugged at her lips. She knew it was temporary, and that as soon as they woke, both men would pull away again. She hated that it was their fear that brought them back to her, but she was thankful for the one night to sleep curled up between them.

Gibbs stirred first, and Abby knew the exact moment he woke. His body tensed and he slowly moved away from her before getting up and going to the bathroom. She pretended to be asleep and hoped that he would return, but soon she heard his footsteps on the stairs and she knew he wasn't coming back.

Tony woke a few minutes later, and as she suspected, pulled a similar disappearing act. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the familiar ceiling wondering if she'd ever see it again. While falling asleep between them and waking up the same way had been wonderful, the knife that was slowly twisting in her heart wasn't worth the brief moments of joy. She couldn't go through this again.

Tony was gone by the time she got downstairs. She had taken a quick shower and changed for work.

"Breakfast?"

"Nah," she shook her head. "Thanks for letting me crash. I uh… I'll drive you to work since we drove my car back."

"Yeah, ready when you are."

* * *

Waking up with Abby in his arms and Tony within reach had brought back more than enough memories. He had been terrified of what he might do if he continued to hold her, so he'd moved away from temptation. He briefly wondered what Hollis would think if she had popped by and he wondered if he'd even try to explain. He knew she wanted more, wanted commitment. She had invited him over to fix a small leak, only for him to find out that the problem was much bigger. For the first time since they started seeing each other, she had let her insecurities come out, and Gibbs was surprised at how much she was pushing for him to make a commitment – something he wasn't sure he could do. He enjoyed her company, but commitment was a big deal. And if he agreed to that, he felt like he was pushing Abby further and further from his heart. A place that until Abby and Tony came along, had belonged to only one person. He wasn't sure there was room for any more people. If he moved forward with Hollis, he needed to shut the door on whatever he had with Tony and Abby.

* * *

Any thoughts that he was over both Tony and Abby came to a head as he watched Tony's car explode on the large screen. He moved on auto-pilot as his team gathered their gear and headed out to the scene of the blast. He had the overwhelming urge to hug Abby on the way out, but he wasn't sure he'd ever let go. As they went about protocol and collected evidence, Gibbs' refused to think of it as Tony. He asked the right questions to the witnesses that had hung around. And with a quiet sadness, they return everything to NCIS.

"Without Ducky giving us conclusive evidence that it's him, I refuse to believe it." Abby said firmly as she unpacked the evidence that Gibbs brought her.

"It was his car, this is his badge, ID and gun…"

Abby looked up at Gibbs with a glare. "Unless Ducky tells me otherwise, I refuse to believe it."

Gibbs was at a loss for what to say, both understanding her refusal to believe he was gone, but also feeling angry that she wasn't seeking comfort from him. He was about to pull her into a hug anyway when his eye caught on something he'd seen at the directors house. "What's this?"

"I'm not supposed to tell anyone about the bottle found at the director's house… Wait, is she…? Is it because of her that _this _happened?"

Gibbs took a deep breath. "Call me if you come up with anything."

* * *

Gibbs and his team knew they needed to push their feelings aside if they were going to solve what happened, but with Tony's empty desk, it was hard to focus.

"It wasn't him!" Ducky rushed forward from the back elevators, Jimmy close on his heels. "The dead man's lungs were in pristine condition, whereas Tony's lung would have had residual damage from his bout with the plague. I can say that, without a doubt, the man on my table is _not_ DiNozzo."

"Then who the hell is he?" Gibbs asked, a wave of relief flooding through him. "And where the hell is DiNozzo." With renewed energy, the worked with the few details they had to try and find Tony. The elevator dinged and a very irritated Trent Kort stalked out. He was just as interested in finding Tony as they were.

"Have your _director_ call me once you've found him. The two of them have jeopardized operation Lodestone, which the CIA has spent _years_ working on." He was just about to press the button for the elevator when the door opened and Tony stepped out.

* * *

Tony wasn't expecting to be slammed against the wall, but the satisfaction of his team all with their guns trained on Kort was well worth it. Kort eventually let go, and after a few one-liners, Tony walked away with a smirk. "You guys miss me?" He accepted the hug from Ziva, McGee, Ducky and even Jimmy. He didn't expect Gibbs to hug him in front of everyone, or at all, so he wasn't too disappointed when he instead had to follow Gibbs up to the Directors office.

He watched the footage of his car exploding, wincing at the explosion and then cracking a joke about the piece of shit car he'd been driving around as Tony DiNardo. Gibbs remained silent as he sat beside him, but Tony drew from his reassuring presence.

The director didn't seem to care that his relationship had fallen to pieces, but she seemed rather interested in what Jeanne had to say. "Quite frankly, it's none of your business."

"I don't know why or how you expected it to end any differently? You've been living a lie, Tony. You weren't supposed to let yourself fall in love."

Tony could sense Gibbs starting to bristle. "Well, doesn't look like it's something I have to worry about anymore, now does it? Are we done here?" He stood hastily; ready to make a run for it. For the second time he felt like his whole life was falling apart.

"We're done."

While she was upset that no one called her with Ducky's original findings, Abby was thrilled to find out that Tony was in the building. She bounced eagerly on her toes while she waited for Gibbs and Tony to finish upstairs.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Abby threw her arms around him as soon as he was in reach, but pulled away quickly when he didn't really hug her back.

"Thanks Abbs, I'm fine."

She let go and stepped back and glanced at Ziva. She knew he shouldn't be alone, but seeing as he wasn't really wanting her comfort, she wanted to make sure someone was with him. She knew she didn't know the details as to what had been going on, but this Jeanne woman… he deserved closure. She would've gladly gone with him to find Jeanne, but when Ziva offered and he agreed, she felt a little more at ease that he wouldn't be alone.

* * *

TBC…


	22. Chapter 22

Sorry about the delay… I've been caught up working on some original erotic fiction. Oops.

* * *

Tony was glad for the change of clothes he kept in the office. Getting soaked from the sprinklers seemed to make everything ten times worse. And no matter how much he tried to ignore it, he could still see Jeanne's letter as it burned. He glanced up to look at Ziva as she sat hunched over her paperwork. Then his eyes darted to Gibbs and finally McGee. He knew he had made the right choice. It might not be easy, but this was where he belonged. He didn't know exactly how much Gibbs knew, but he seemed to know _enough_. Tony wasn't sure if he was still seeing Mann, but he could've sworn Gibbs seemed… relieved. Relieved that Tony wasn't leaving? Relieved that he didn't have to train a new agent? Tony wasn't sure. Maybe he knew more than he was letting on. Maybe he'd gotten a letter from a past love, one like Jeanne had left for him. Maybe it wasn't relief, maybe it was pity.

Slowly his thoughts turned to Abby. He owed her an explanation and an apology. He hoped she would accept because he found himself needing a hug – the bone crushing, genuine kind that only Abby seemed to deliver. Something he hadn't had in months. He knew he had messed up when he hadn't returned the hug she'd given him when she first saw him after thinking he was dead. That had been cold and cruel on his part, and he could only hope that Abby was accepting of his apology. He finished up the paper work and handed it to Gibbs. Gibbs was on the phone, but he nodded and waved Tony away - a sign that he was good to go home. He grabbed his back pack, headed for the back elevator, and hoped that Abby hadn't left yet. He hadn't seen her come through the squad room, but ever since things had… fallen apart, she didn't always come through. He stepped out of the elevator and was relieved to hear her music still on. It wasn't deafening, but it meant she was around.

She was standing at the evidence table, reading something in a file. She was facing away from him, and looked relaxed. He knew he should make himself known, but suddenly the only thing in his mind was that he needed to hold her in his arms. He needed a hug, he needed warmth and comfort. She didn't hear him as he approached, and she jumped the minute his arms wrapped around her from behind.

"Tony!" she gasped, her heart thundering in her chest. She hadn't heard him come in. "What are you…" she trailed off as he buried his face against her neck. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he pulled away so she could turn to face him. "Just needed a hug."

"Oh." Abby glanced around expecting someone else to be there. "Is everything…? You found the baby, right?"

"Yeah, everything is okay."

"Okay, well… what else can I do for you?" Abby fidgeted nervously. She and Tony hadn't really been alone in months and she wasn't sure what to say.

"I uh," Tony ran a hand through his hair, "I was wondering if you could come over to my place when you're done. I… I have some things to say and work isn't really the place."

"Tony? Are you okay?"

Her firm tone and the genuine concern in his eyes made him smile. No doubt her mind ran in a million different directions as for what could be wrong with him. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'd just rather not talk here…"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'll be done in an hour or so."

"Please come over?"

"Sure."

* * *

Tony waited anxiously for Abby to arrive. He wasn't sure if she was going home first or if she had anything else to do before coming over. He ordered a pizza for dinner, unsure if she would want some or not. Maybe she was only coming to listen to what he had to say and then leaving? He wasn't sure. The doorbell rang and he grabbed his wallet to pay the delivery man. "Hey, how much… Abby?"

"Pizza? I ran into the delivery guy in the parking lot. Only one person I know orders from this place." She handed him the pizza box.

"Oh, well I'll pay you back, how much was it?"

"Don't worry about it," she waved it off. "You wanted to talk?" She stood awkwardly in the middle of his living room, unsure of what to say.

"You want some pizza?"

She shook her head. "I had a bite to eat in the lab before I left. What's going on?"

Tony set the pizza on the coffee table and sat on the couch, motioning Abby to join him. He could eat after, he wasn't going to feel better until he told her everything. "I owe you an apology and an explanation."

"For what?"

"I've been treating you like shit, Abby. And I'm sorry. When Gibbs left it was hard… for both of us, and then I had this extra pressure from the director. She put me on a secret case to find out some information on this guy and part of that included getting close to his daughter, Jeanne. Only, I found it hard to just pretend. She was nice," he explained the situation with Jeanne, not knowing how much she had heard at NCIS.

"Do you love her?"

Tony thought for a minute. "I thought I did. I thought she loved me… she loved who I was pretending to be. I finally told her who I was. She wanted me to choose."

"Choose what?"

"Between her and NCIS."

"Have you… chosen?"

"Yeah, I'm not going anywhere. She loved who I was… not… me. NCIS is where I belong."

"Why didn't you tell me? You know you can come to me about anything. I wouldn't have told anyone."

"Because… I had to protect myself. When Gibbs left I was terrified you'd do the same. I thought… I thought there were real feelings between the three of us, even though it was just kinda casual. And the fact that he could up and leave us like that, I thought it would be easier to just end it all, you know? I couldn't go through that with you, so I…" he shrugged.

"So you cut me out of your life before I could cut you out of mine?" she asked sadly.

"I didn't know what else to do."

Abby stared down at her hands in her lap as she tried not to cry. "I needed you, Tony. When I needed you more than I ever needed anything, you pushed me away."

"God, I'm so sorry, Abby," Tony pulled her into a hug and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm so sorry. Did I… have I ruined any chance to have you back in my life..?"

"Back in your life?" she asked.

"I mean, I don't know if you're seeing anyone, but I miss you and even if you are… I just… I miss you."

Abby nodded against his chest. "But I need time Tony. You broke my heart all over again when you pushed me away. Gibbs was… was in Mexico and you had your… Jeanne and I had no one."

"Whatever you need. I love you, and as much as that scares me… I can't let go of you again. I don't know how healthy relationships work, because I've never really been in one. I don't want to hurt you, but you've gotta tell me what I'm doing right and wrong."

"Okay." Abby sat up again and wiped her eyes. "We'll figure it out, together."

"Good," Tony smiled. "Good."

"I… I should get going." It was a lot to think about and she was feeling overwhelmed, so she got up and headed to the door.

"Yeah, okay…" Tony followed. He wanted to ask her to stay, just so he could have some company. He didn't want to push her into anything she wasn't ready for, but he wasn't ready to say goodbye. "Maybe we could grab lunch together tomorrow at work if I'm not out on a case."

"I'd like that." She turned to open the door and started to take a step out. She hesitated and then turned around to face Tony. She took a small step toward him and then leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips. "I love you, too. Good night."

"Night." Tony watched her head down the hall and then closed the door before leaning against it. He really didn't want her to go. He believed her when she said she loved him and he didn't think she would run. But at the same time, he had pushed her away. He had hurt her worse than she had ever hurt him, all because he had been scared. "God, DiNozzo… you are such a fool," he told himself.

* * *

Abby walked blindly to her car and got in, but didn't start the engine. As soon as she was inside, she locked the door and let her head fall forward as she started to cry. She had been so certain that she lost both Gibbs and Tony. They had both seemed to move on – Tony with Jeanne and Gibbs with Hollis. She couldn't ever remember feeling so alone as she had the past few months since the explosion and Gibbs' subsequent hiatus in Mexico. She had been devastated when Gibbs left, but with Tony by her side she had been sure she would pull herself together and get over it. But then Tony pulled away from her, leaving her with nothing. She eventually felt a bit of normalcy when she started dating Marty. But he hadn't really cared much about her, unwilling to look past their height differences and once again she found herself with nothing. When Tony had come to her lab earlier to ask her over, an apology and the offer to start over with an actual relationship had been the last thing she had expect. On some level she was angry and hurt. It had taken another woman to make him see that he belonged at NCIS and with her. She didn't understand why he could ever think she would hurt him. But Tony had been right – he hadn't been in any healthy relationships, how was he supposed to know how they work?

She brushed her tears away and looked back up at his building. He looked so sad when she said she'd had to leave. She wondered if he thought she was going to be like Gibbs' and leave him. Unbuckling her seatbelt, Abby was suddenly worried that he had taken her decision to leave as a sign that she wasn't truly committed to the idea of _them_ in a relationship. She grabbed her purse from the passenger seat and got out of the car, slamming the door and hitting the lock button before hurrying back toward his building.

She was just about to round the corner to the building's front door when she collided with someone hurrying to the parking lot. "Oh, sorry I didn't… Tony?"

"Abby?" Tony grabbed her arms to keep her from falling over. "Where are you going?"

"I… I didn't want you to think I was walking away from you, like Gibbs did. I shouldn't have just left like that. I…"

Tony smiled and pulled her into a hug. "I was going to try and beat you back to your place. Apologize again for pushing you away, for hurting you because I was worried that you'd hurt me. I just… Abby, I don't want to be alone."

Abby pressed up on her toes and wrapped an arm around his neck as she leaned in to kiss him. "You're not alone."

"Please don't leave," he murmured against her lips. "Please stay."

"I'll stay," she promised, but turned toward her car.

"Where are you going then?"

She turned and smiled at him, "grabbing my overnight bag." She pulled it from her car, swinging it over her shoulder. She took his outstretched hand and let him lead her back to his apartment. Inside she dropped her bag just inside the door and then move with Tony back to the couch. He sat first and then pulled her into his side, wrapping his arms around her to hold her close. "I've missed this, missed you. I was a fucking fool to push you away."

"You did what you had too."

"No," he shook his head. "I did what comes naturally. I should've fought to keep you."

"I was never going anywhere; there was nothing to fight for."

"I should have known that, too. But I was scared. I thought I could move on, I thought I had moved on, but I couldn't… I'm sorry."

"I won't pretend like it didn't hurt me, but we'll get through it." She felt a shiver run through her body.

"You cold?" Tony reached for the throw across the back of the sofa.

"No, just… relieved." She took the blanket anyway, and tucked them both in. "It's been a long time since we've been able to… relax like this. I've missed you." She tilted her head up, welcoming his gentle kiss.

"What about Gibbs?"

Abby looked away again and tucked her head under his chin. "I miss him, too. After that night at the nuns place, getting to sleep between the two of you, I thought… I thought maybe we could fix things, but," she caught her lower lip between her teeth. "I don't think… he's with Hollis now. I tried; I kissed him when he came back. He didn't kiss me back."

"I won't walk away from you again, I promise." He hated to see the sadness in her eyes, and knowing that he was partly responsible ate away at him.

"I believe you." She let him pull her in for another kiss and this time she pushed her legs over his lap and leaned back against the arm of the couch. The feeling of security as they reclined to the side, making out and enjoying each other's company, was more than she thought she would ever have again. She appreciated that he wasn't pushing for more, allowing them to just enjoy each other. Eventually she pulled away, a jaw-popping yawn forcing its way out.

"Let's get some sleep." Tony shifted out from under her legs and then pulled her to her feet. He grabbed her bag and led her toward his bedroom.

"I'm just going to take a quick shower," she took the bag from him and dug through to find something to sleep in and to grab her toiletries.

Tony leaned in to kiss her one more time, just barely holding back from asking her if he could join her. He reminded himself that they were taking things slow, and as much as he wanted her physically, he wanted things to work in the long run. And if that meant he needed to go slower, at a pace she was more comfortable with, he was willing to do that for her.

As she showered he got ready for bed, pulling on a pair of long sleep pants and then climbing between the sheets. He stared up at the ceiling and waited – listening as the shower turned off and Abby moved around the bathroom getting ready for bed. Her hair was pulled into a single pony tail, and with her make up gone, Tony couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her look so beautiful. He held up the covers for her and as soon as she was next to him, he rolled toward her and wrapped himself around her. It had been hard going through his breakup with Jeanne, but as he pulled Abby against him, he realized that Jeanne had never fit against him so perfectly. "Night Abbs."

"Night Tony."

* * *

Tony hated the sound of his alarm, but as he slowly remembered that Abby was in his bed, suddenly waking up wasn't such a big deal. "Morning sleepy," he nuzzled against her cheek and pushed his legs over her. He didn't mind waking up, but getting out of bed was a different story.

Abby turned in his arms and looked at him with bright, smiling eyes. "Best night of sleep in a long time."

"I guess I have that effect…" Tony gave a smug smile.

"Mmm…" Abby pressed her hands to his chest and then worked her way down until she was grasping the waistband of his sleep pants. "Make love to me, Tony. It's been so long…"

Tony wanted to so bad, but she had said they were going to move slow. He didn't want to push things. "You wanted to take things slow, Abbs. That's a good idea."

"I know, but I… I just need you. Need to know that this is real again." She tilted her head for a kiss.

"But we'll be late," Tony mumbled against her lips.

"I don't care, I can't wait…" She pressed the full length of her body against his. "We'll be quick."

"If we're quick, that's not love making. I'm not hurrying through that."

Abby pulled back to look at him, thinking over what he said. "Then fuck me, Tony. I just… I need you."

Tony's control snapped and he pushed her onto her back, covering her body with his own.

* * *

TBC…

Hopefully a bit of happy-time made up for the delay. ;)


	23. Chapter 23

Soooo sorry about the delay – so awful, I know. Starting to get into more 'fun territory'. Hope you enjoy. Reviews are appreciated, as always.

* * *

Gibbs watched curiously from the corner of his eye as Tony sat at his desk, the hint of a smile on his lips. He had been agreeable all morning and even now, when they were stuck with a stack of paperwork, he wasn't complaining. No one else seemed to notice, _or maybe they don't want to jinx it_, he thought. Tony had looked fairly distraught over the letter he'd received from Jeanne. He'd caught Tony tossing it into the fire, but said nothing. Instead he sent him home early so he could change from his wet clothes. He expected DiNozzo to mope around and be sad, but this wasn't even close. And Gibbs was good at reading Tony's mask. That smile he was trying to hide was genuine.

Abby had come through the squad room earlier and handed out ipods, though he couldn't see something like that having a huge effect on Tony. The gesture was nice and while he didn't listen to much music, McGee had explained that he could put audio books on it as well. Maybe if he wore the ipod in the gym, people wouldn't interrupt him with stupid comments and questions.

But he was curious. Before he'd left for Mexico, he wouldn't have hesitated to pull Tony aside, ask what was going on. But now…? He'd fucked everything up.

The phone rang, pulling him from his thoughts. "Dead Marine."

He was surprised to see Hollis already at the scene. He hadn't even opened his mouth before she announced that she was in charge. They kept things professional until his team was out of ear shot. "Do they know we're _involved?_"

Gibbs shrugged. He hadn't exactly told anyone, but his team was smart. He would be surprised if they didn't know. And Abby's cool attitude toward Hollis told him that she was well aware and not impressed.

Ducky approached to give his thoughts on the time of death and then moved away as a DIA agent approached. "We're sending Fred Rinnert to accompany the laptop back to your lab."

Gibbs frowned. Abby wasn't going to be happy, especially since the last man she'd been forced to work with had nearly killed her. He was so focused what had happened the last time Abby had an assistant, he almost hadn't recognized Stephanie. He was so thrown that she was involved with the case, that he agreed to go with Hollis to Jen's office to discuss how they would handle the situation. He wasn't thrilled with the idea that Hollis would be the one to do the interrogation of his ex-wife.

He stood quietly behind Tony and Ziva as they watched the interrogation, not knowing he was there. He wasn't surprised that Tony was trying to decide who was better looking, though rather than a hint of jealousy; it was as if Tony didn't really care. Not that he wanted Tony to be jealous, not really. But it was like another nail in the coffin of whatever they'd had. And Gibbs wasn't sure how he felt about that.

When McGee called him down to Abby's lab, he expected to find her irritated with Fred. But he was shocked to find her laughing with him as though they were long lost friends. He watched curiously as they sang some song about the elements and eventually he had to remove himself from the situation. Tony might not have had any residual jealousy, but that didn't mean that Gibbs didn't.

He found Hollis talking to Ducky, and he got a quick over-view of what Ducky knew so far. He followed Hollis to the elevator and they headed up to the squad room quietly. They were nearly there when she reached out and flicked the elevator switch. "How long have we been together?"

Gibbs eyed her curiously. He wasn't quite sure; there had never been one defining moment to say they were in a relationship. It just sort of happened. But this was work - they didn't have time for personal stuff here. He reached forward and sent the elevator back in motion.

Hollis reached out to stop them again. "Why haven't you told me about Shannon and Kelly?"

Gibbs looked at her sharply and then looked away. "They're dead. End of story. I've put it behind me."

"Have you?"

Gibbs set them in motion again and they moved another foot until the doors opened.

* * *

As Abby approached Gibbs desk, she noticed that he looked surprised to see her rather than expecting her. "Gibbs…"

"Yeah, Abbs?"

"You didn't call me up here, did you?"

Gibbs shook his head, "no." They others suddenly looked up, taking interest.

"It was him… The evidence!" Abby turned to run toward the back staircase without another word. Confused by her actions, Gibbs got up to follow, waving Hollis to follow along. By the time they were back, the laptops had been wiped clean, and despite a guilty smirk on Fred's face, there was nothing Abby could do. "Can I hit him?" She asked.

"No," Gibbs called up to Tony to have him get McGee start looking. They followed Fred into the elevator, Abby repeatedly asking if she could hit him. Gibbs wanted to say yes, hell he could see Hollis was wanting him to say yes, but he could allow her to assault someone that they had no proof was guilty. Fred tried to hurry through the squad room, slowed down by Ziva and Tony as McGee worked as quickly as possible. They knew the minute he was outside, he would be gone.

With McGee's quick work, Gibbs let out a sigh of relief that they were able to retain Fred. "Go ahead," he nodded to Abby, fighting a smile as her fist connected with Fred's nose.

Hollis grimaced at the sound it made and Ziva nodded with appreciation at the force Abby put behind it.

Gibbs let Tony cuff Fred. He turned to Abby to see about her hand, but Hollis stepped in front of him. "He'll need medical attention. I can talk to him in the morning. We have plans…"

Gibbs watched as Ziva wrapped an arm around Abby and heard her mention something about some ice. He looked back to Hollis and nodded. McGee could finish up.

* * *

To say he was surprised to find Stephanie in his basement was an understatement, though he'd rather find her than Diane. Though he assumed he'd have seen smoke first as an indicator that Diane was there. Out of his three ex-wives, Stephanie was the one that he should have tried harder with. Under different circumstances, they could've worked. She never pressured him to get over Shannon and Kelly and they had gone as far as discussing a family together until she found out she wasn't able to have kids. She suddenly felt like she couldn't give him the one thing he wanted, and he broke under her constant sadness over a loss of a family she never had. In the end their jobs severed the last bit of a connection they had.

He was glad for that last bit of closure, for the fact that she brought his dog tags back. He'd assumed he'd lost them, so to have them again – he wasn't going to hold a grudge. He wished her well and watched her drive away. He turned back to the house. Almost all the lights were off – one on in the hall way and then one down in the basement. He missed the sight of more lights on. When the living room was lit, the house looked warm and inviting, like a home, something it hadn't felt like since he'd spent time relaxing with both Tony and Abby.

He thought he heard talking as he approached the basement, and two steps down he heard Kelly's excited voice before she started pounding out a tune on the piano. He slowly lowered himself to the step to listen as the tape continued to play. He knew when Hollis turned to look at him, suddenly sensing his presence, but he couldn't make eye contact. He knew it never ended well when he held out on information about his dead wife and daughter. It had been the undoing of so many relationships. He hadn't told Abby and Tony, and they found out the hard way. Looking back, he was sure they would've made an effort, but he had left them before they could leave him. As the tape came to an end, he looked over at Hollis. He could see that she was trying not to cry, but suddenly any urge to comfort her, slipped away. She was prying into a part of his personal life they he guarded fiercely. He didn't say anything, but he knew that their relationship was over. If it was something that was meant to last, he would've had some sort of urge to explain what the tape was about, what they still meant to him. But instead he just watched as she gathered her things and headed up the stairs. He wasn't sure if she would say anything, but he wasn't surprised when she just stepped past him without a word.

He listened to the sound of her car pulling away from his house before he got up. He listened to the tape one more time before packing it away carefully, away from the dust. He wanted to call Abby, ask about her hand, but it was getting late so he decided against it.

He headed up the stairs and then up to his bedroom. He grabbed clean underwear and sweats before heading to the bathroom for a shower. Once he was ready for bed, he grabbed a pillow and headed for the sofa to rack for the night.

* * *

First thing, Gibbs swung by the coffee shop for a coffee and Caf-Pow! Even though his relationship with Hollis had ended, there was a little extra energy in his step. He was ready for life to become normal again. His first task was to repair the friendship he'd once had with Abby. He didn't expect her to fall into his bed again, but he missed her company, an occasional dinner out – he missed having a friend. He was surprised to see Ducky as he approached her lab.

"I don't know, I think we should x-ray it again to be certain. I saw the victim, and it was quite the punch you landed."

"X-ray?" Gibbs asked, stepping into the lab. Ducky was looking over Abby's hand as they stood by the evidence table. "Oh Abbs…" He looked at her swollen hand, her knuckles tinged blue, purple and green.

"It's nothing," Abby brushed off his concern. "Ducky x-rayed it yesterday, I just assumed the swelling would've gone down by today.

"You've been icing like I suggested? I told Tony…"

Gibbs looked up sharply at the mention of Tony's name. Had he taken her home?

"Yes, you can ask him. Twenty minutes on, twenty minutes off." She nodded. "I mean, if you'd feel better with a second x-ray… we can do that."

"Why didn't you call me?" Gibbs hadn't thought it was so serious. When both Ducky and Abby shot him a curious look, Gibbs felt guilty. He hadn't been there for her in recent months and it hurt more than he expected that she hadn't even thought of telling him she was hurt. He cleared his through and then nodded to Ducky. "Duck is right, let him x-ray it again."

* * *

"How's the hand?" Gibbs strolled into her lab for the second time.

Abby lifted it and flexed a few times. "It's fine – a little stiff, but as the day has worn on, the swelling is mostly gone. Just some pretty bruises." She held it out for him to look, but didn't expect him to reach out and hold her hand.

He brushed his thumb gently over her knuckles and frowned. "Should've let you hit him."

Abby laughed. "I think at that point, I really wasn't looking for the go-ahead."

Gibbs smiled – it was the first time he'd heard her laugh in a long time. "Did Ducky do the second x-ray?"

"Yeah," she nodded, "it's not broken. Not even worth wrapping it up. I iced it over lunch and again this afternoon. I'll ice it again tonight."

"Come over." The invite was out of his mouth before he could stop himself. Abby look at him, her brow furrowed as though she weren't sure she'd actually heard him. "Let me fix you dinner."

"I already have dinner plans," she found herself saying. It wasn't totally untrue, but Tony had mentioned something about pizza and a movie. But the look of sadness that flashed across his face had her continuing. "But… I could bring some dessert over afterward, or something." She shrugged.

Gibbs stood a little taller and a look of relief started as the sadness washed away. He nodded, "come over whenever."

* * *

Abby nibbled distractedly on her slice of pizza.

"Did he say what he wanted?" Tony asked curiously. Abby had explained Gibbs offer as soon as she was in the door.

She shook her head. "No. I think he feels guilty that he let me punch that _asshole_ in the face. Saw that Ducky wanted to x-ray my hand."

"How's it feeling?"

She shrugged. "A little stiff, but it looks worse than it feels. I've been icing it off and on all day."

"Then why didn't you go for dinner?" He asked, changing the subject back again.

"I don't know, I wasn't expecting him to ask and I just…I panicked. But then he looked so sad, so I offered to bring dessert over." She pointed to a bag on the table. "So I stopped at that French bakery downtown and picked up a few things. Picked up something for you, too."

"Thanks." Tony looked down at the pizza in his hand. "He wants you back," he suddenly said. "I knew he'd come around. You nearly died in that damn car. Almost then losing you to Chip was a real shake up for him, for all of us, and then I think knowing you've been working with another criminal… I bet it was a big wake up call."

"No," Abby laughed sadly, "he's with _whatshername_. Plus, he'd have to take us both; I'm not leaving you, Tony." She leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss against his lips. "Would you ever want that? The three of us again?"

Tony shrugged. "I want to say no, that he hurt me too badly by leaving the way he did… but I'd be more of an asshole than I already am if I said that. I did the same to you, and we're working things out. Hell, I didn't lose a wife and daughter; I just didn't want you to leave me first. But it was just sex, Abby."

"You should've seen him when we thought you died. It was more than just sex between you."

"But you should get going, see what he has to say. Are you coming back over afterward?" He didn't really want to sleep alone, but he didn't want to pressure her.

"I… I don't know. I guess it depends on what he has to say tonight. I might just need some time alone, you know?"

Tony leaned in to kiss her forehead gently. "I know. You've got a key, my door is always open to you."

* * *

TBC…


	24. Chapter 24

Gibbs tried to focus on washing up the few dishes in the sink. He didn't want to be down in the basement when Abby arrived. He didn't want her to think that he was distracted by the boat though he owed her a big explanation about Shannon and Kelly. He knew she learned the basics from when he was hospitalized, but she deserved to know more. He hoped to tell her about the boat being named after Kelly, though if they would make it that far in her first visit, he wasn't sure.

Once the dishes were washed and dried, he looked around for any other chores that needed to be done. He decided to start a load of laundry and was just about to grab the recycle to take out when he spotted her car pulling up out front. Instead of the recycle, he went to his coffee machine, dumping out the old and starting a fresh pot. He was just filling the water reserve when the door opened and Abby called out his name hesitantly.

"Hey Abbs, just starting some fresh coffee." He peeked around the corner.

She closed the door behind her and hung her coat on the coat rack before carrying the pastries she'd picked up into the kitchen. "I grabbed some stuff from that bakery downtown, I hope that's okay?"

Gibbs nodded and watched as she still seemed to move around his house with ease, finding a large plate to display them on. None of the other women he had dated in recent history had ever shown the level of comfort in his home as Abby. He knew part of it was that he hadn't been welcoming to the others. Even his ex-wives had never felt at home – the only reason he and Stephanie had been alright, was because they were in Moscow the majority of their relationship. His other two ex-wives knew they were a replacement and tread lightly around Shannon's house. But Abby hadn't known about her, hadn't felt the need to be weary of her every move. He suddenly realized he had mostly kept Hollis out of the house. When they spent the night together, it was at her place. Occasionally they drank beer in his basement, but only when he knew she wouldn't stay the night. It all hit him so strangely, making his heart both swell and ache at the realization, he wanted to hug her. "Looks delicious," he finally said, worried that his silence would be taken the wrong way. "Coffee?" He asked as the machine beeped to signal it was finished brewing.

Abby laughed. "You know your coffee maker like you know my babies, knowing when it's ready just as the machine knows it's ready."

Gibbs shrugged. "I guess I use it now and again."

"Now and again?" Abby snorted and grabbed the milk from the fridge as Gibbs poured coffee into two cups, leaving a little room in hers. "I'm surprised you don't have a pet name for it."

Gibbs carried the coffee, Abby carried the pastries and together they went to his living room to sit down.

"Why'd you invite me over?" Abby asked quietly. She had kicked her boots off and curled her legs under as she sat on the couch.

"You used to come over all the time." Even before they ever started sleeping together, she would come over for dinner, they'd relax and talk. Maybe watch a movie if she pouted enough. She never needed a reason to drop in.

She shrugged. "You've been… _busy_."

"I owe you an apology and an explanation about a lot of things. Not quite sure where to start."

"Shouldn't Tony be here to hear this, too?"

"Not sure he wants too. But if he does, I'll talk to him too." Gibb set his coffee down and then got up.

Abby caught her lower lip between her teeth, worried that she shouldn't have brought up Tony's name. She watched as he moved over to one of the built-in's and picked up a wooden box. He brushed a layer of dust from the top and carried it back over to sit beside her. She watched curiously as he lifted the top off and pulled out a photo.

"This is them, Shannon and Kelly…" He handed her the photo. "This photo was taken the last time I saw them."

Abby stared down at the photo, the three smiling faces nearly bringing her to tears instantly. There was such a difference in Gibbs face – not the age difference, but the years of sadness had clearly taken its toll. Not that she didn't love his face now, but he was so much happier in the photo than she had ever seen him, it was like looking at a completely different person. "They were beautiful."

"They were my life. And to lose them both at once… my life was over."

Abby nodded. She had never experienced loss like that; she could only imagine what he had gone through.

"Leaving NCIS had nothing to do with you or Tony. It had everything to do with losing them all over again. I had _nothing_ left in me. Nothing left to give."

"I didn't need anything, I just needed you. But I… I understood. The more I learned… the more I realized that they made you who you are today, I understand why you left. What I don't understand was when you came back and you still kept me at a distance. Hell, you still do."

"I know."

"I miss you."

"I know."

"I miss our friendship. I miss spending time with you. I miss coming to you about the most ridiculous things. I should have been drinking in your basement while icing my hand last night."

"I know."

"God, Gibbs, stop staying _I know_, because clearly you don't!" She suddenly lashed out. "You have no idea what's it's been like for me the past few months. _NO IDEA!_ You have no idea what it's been like for me. One minute I had both of you in my life, and the next I'm completely alone! So don't tell me that you_ know _how I feel!"

"Abby..."

"No!" She jumped up and pushed her dessert plate to the coffee table. "Gibbs I love you. I've loved you for longer than I can remember and rather than just being my friend when you came back, you've treated me like I'm just some random coworker! Tony pushed me away once you were gone so I couldn't leave him and then both of you just moved on like what we had was no big deal. I had _no one_!"

Gibbs sat forward and rested his head in his hands. "I never wanted to push you away." He looked up when she stopped pacing to stare out the front window.

"You didn't want to? So why not stop?" She glanced back at him, a pained expression on her face.

Gibbs sighed. "Because I'm terrified of what I feel for you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The hurt, confusion evident in the way she asked.

"When I first came back, things were still… hazy for me as to what we had before. But then… I've only loved one other woman the way I've realized I love you. And that terrifies me. I have to keep you safe and if the only way I can do that is to keep you safe from myself..." He shook his head. "I couldn't keep them safe."

Abby spun around and moved forward, dropping to her knees in front of him. "Would you get over yourself? Shitty, awful things happen to the best people every day. This hero complex that you could have saved them is obnoxious. There was nothing you could have done, nothing. How are you ever supposed to be happy? _Goddamnit_, Gibbs. I love you, Tony loves you, but you have to make us all miserable with your _bullshit_." When he said nothing, Abby started to stand. "Tony and I… it's not back to the way it was, but we're working on it. If you think you can let us love you, let us help you when you need help… call me, call Tony, give some sort of sign and we can-"

Gibbs stood and cupped her face in his hands as he pressed his lips to hers.

Abby hesitated before responding to his kiss. She wanted to crawl into his bed and never leave, but she was weary after everything that happened the previous few months. She tried to hold out, but she had missed him, his kiss and she found herself falling into his warm embrace.

"I love you," he murmured against her lips, wrapping his arms around her more tightly.

Abby kissed him again but then pulled away. "What about Tony?"

Gibbs shifted uncomfortably. "I… I've never… another guy. I don't know..." He couldn't describe how he felt about Tony because he was still figuring it out for himself. He had never had feelings for another man before. In the beginning, it was about pleasure and comfort, but the occasional hook ups had come to mean something more.

Abby reached out to take hold of his hands. "He loves you. He was so broken when you left. Everyone was worried about me, but him… he was a mess too. You hurt him bad enough that he left me so that I couldn't walk out on him the way you did."

"I didn't know…" Gibbs had assumed that things had just come to a natural end for them. He didn't realize that he was the reason for their breakup. "God, I fucked up. I fucked it all up."

"Yeah, you did. You didn't trust us to help you with what you were going through. But I understand that. It's not too late to fix it all, but it will take time." She moved in close again to wrap her arms around him. "Take some time to think it over, Gibbs. We're not going anywhere."

"Will you stay for a while?"

Abby shook her head. "I can't, I need some time, too…"

"You going back to Tony's?"

"No," she willed herself not to cry, "I need some time alone."

"Okay." He hesitated before leaning forward to brush a tender kiss across her lips.

Abby nodded and gathered her jacket and purse. "I'll see you later." She hurried down the front steps to her car, and quickly pulled away from the curb. Staying with him had been her first instinct, but she knew that things would quickly get out of hand. With Tony back in her life, she felt like falling back into bed with Gibbs without knowing where things were headed, wasn't the right choice. She felt numb as she drove back to her place. The streets were a blur as she drove home and she knew she should pull over and let herself cry, but she was worried that she wouldn't stop. Finally making it home, Abby kicked off her boots and changed into her sweats. She shivered as she crawled into her bed and pulled the covers up around her shoulders. Finally home and safe in her bed, Abby allowed herself to cry.

* * *

Gibbs was tempted to go down to his boat and drowned himself with bourbon. But he knew that it wouldn't do anything but make him more miserable. To see the extent of the pain he had caused – not only leaving them, but ruining what they had as well. And then to hear how Tony had suffered, Gibbs wasn't sure he deserved to have their love. Not after what he had put her through. Maybe he only deserved the misery of a lonely night, drunk under the boat. He wished Abby would have stayed. He just wanted to hold her. Just having her in his arms for the few minutes he had been able to hold her had calmed him considerably. But he respected her need for solitude and wasn't going to intrude on that, despite his need to do _something_.

He grabbed his keys, jacket and the pastries that Abby left behind and headed for his car. He had started to fix things with Abby, maybe he could get the ball rolling with Tony as well. He drove to Tony's apartment and slowly made his way to the front door. He wasn't sure what he was going to say or do, but he had to do something.

"I thought you weren't…." Tony trailed off. He had answered the door assuming it was Abby, but was surprised to see Gibbs. "Where is she?"

"She went home. She left these," he held up the bag of pastries. "I didn't think they should go to waste." It sounded lame to his own ears.

"Is she okay?" he asked without stepping back to let Gibbs in.

"I don't know," Gibbs answered truthfully. "Said she needed time, said it wasn't too late to fix things. Is she right?"

Tony stared at him without answering.

"Can I come in?"

Tony stepped back half a foot giving Gibbs a little room, but still making him squeeze past. Gibbs sat on the couch, and stared down at his hands. "I don't know where to start."

"What do you want out of all this?"

"I love her."

"So… you want Abby back?" Abby had said she wouldn't leave him, but Gibbs' pull was powerful. He didn't think it would take much for Abby to go back to him.

"I… I think I love you too."

"You think?"

Gibbs frowned. "I've never felt this way about another man, Tony. I don't know how to put words to it," he snapped.

Tony's look softened. He was surprised to see Gibbs' so flustered. The boss never said anything he didn't mean, so Tony had no doubt that whatever he was feeling was confusing for him. He didn't think he'd admit to loving someone if he didn't truly feel it.

"If it makes a difference… I've known that I loved you since the first time that we…" he shrugged. "It killed me when you left. I should have been more understanding, but then when you came back and wanted nothing to do with us…"

"Don't blame yourself. I still would have been carrying that secret with me if I hadn't been in that explosion. None of what has happened is your fault."

"When you left, I let my own insecurities get in the way and I pushed Abby out of my personal life when she needed me the most. That's my fault. If I hadn't pushed her away like that, things would be a lot different now." Tony had no doubt that while Gibbs put things in motion by leaving; his decision to push Abby away had created a majority of their suffering. Abby had repeatedly stated that she understood why Gibbs left.

"How do I fix this, Tony? I need to know what you need me to do."

"I don't know," Tony shrugged and then sat down beside Gibbs and picked up his hand, "but I'll tell you what Abby told me. We'll figure it out, _together_."

Gibbs let out a big sigh of relief. "Together?"

Tony fought against the grin that was tugging at the corner of his mouth. He reached out and gently tapped the back of Gibbs' head. "Yeah, together."

"Good."

* * *

TBC…

Hope you enjoyed. Next chapter will be up Tuesday at the latest!


	25. Chapter 25

Oops, meant to post yesterday, but the past few days have been crazy! Likely won't post the next chapter until after Christmas as I'm headed out of town tomorrow for two days, then Christmas party, actual Christmas… Much love to everyone!

* * *

Tony stretched and tried to remember everything about his conversation with Gibbs the night before. They hadn't gone into too much detail, but Gibbs seemed willing to answer any of Tony's questions about the last few months. They talked about Hollis and Jeanne – both had tried loving someone else when in reality, it only made them more miserable. They drank beer and in the end, Tony asked him to stay – on the couch – rather than drive home. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants and padded out to the living room to see if Gibbs had stuck around. He wasn't sure if he was surprised to see Gibbs sitting at the dining table with the days' newspaper in front of him and coffee in his hand.

"Hey…"

Gibbs looked up with a small smile. "Hey yourself."

Tony grabbed a coffee cup and filled – adding a splash of cream and sugar before sitting across from Gibbs and opening a pastry from the night before. He was just about to ask if Gibbs had plans for the weekend. He hoped that maybe they could talk to Abby. A nice dinner together and a chance to talk about everything would go a long way toward making things better. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, he heard a key in the lock on his front door and he watched as Abby let herself in.

"Tony?" She called out. "I… what are you doing here?" Abby stopped as her eyes settle on Gibbs. She took in the fact that he was wearing the same clothes she had seen him in last night. "Did you spend the night here?"

"On the couch," Gibbs confirmed. "I came to talk to Tony."

She couldn't help but notice that Tony looked relaxed and almost… happy. She blanched at the thought that maybe they made up without her. Decided that they were going to try again. They had both been the ones to leave her and suddenly she found herself wondering if she had pushed them together – was she the one to be left out? She had pushed Gibbs away the night before, had she pushed him away from herself and right into Tony's arms?

"We just talked, Abby…" Tony stood slowly, reading into the pained expression on her face. "I told him what you told me, remember? That we'll figure it out together? The three of us, we'll figure this all out."

Abby couldn't hear what he was saying over the rush of blood in her ears. She stumbled for an excuse to leave, needing to get some fresh air as soon as possible. "I, uh… I forgot I need…"

"No…" Tony blocked her path to the door. "You're not leaving."

"Tony…" Gibbs warned lightly. He could see the panic start to rise in Abby's face. If she needed some more time, he wasn't going to push her.

"No," Tony shook his head, and pressed his back against the door. "We both walked out on her when she needed us." He looked back to Abby. "If I let you leave now, I'm letting you leave when you need us and that's just as bad. We don't have to talk right now, you can go rest in my room if you want, but you're not leaving. I'm not letting you leave."

Gibbs watched their quiet stare down and was sure Tony was going to give in. Abby's gaze was cold and void of any emotion in a rare display he'd never seen on her face. Tony's hand twitched on the door knob and Gibbs was sure it was all over, but then suddenly Abby turned and rushed down the hall to Tony's bedroom, pushing the door closed behind her.

Tony waited until Gibbs looked at him. "I think that was the hardest thing I've ever done, but I know I'm right. If I let her run now, she wouldn't come back."

Gibbs nodded. "She probably thinks that because I asked her to stay and she said no, that I just replaced her with you. I just needed to see you, try and fix things with you too. Wasn't trying to push her aside or substitute you for her."

"I know." Tony went back to the table and sat down. He wasn't going to push her for the time being. "She told me that when she was going to you, she was going to say that we're a package deal, her and I. It's either the both of us, or neither of us."

"I know."

"It's true."

"I know."

"Good, just so we're clear." Tony snagged a piece of the newspaper and focused on reading the days' headlines while they waited Abby out.

Gibbs was able to last fifteen minutes before he was up. "I'm gonna go check on her."

Tony considered if they should both go, but Gibbs would be good for testing the water. He wasn't the one forcing her to stay. "Okay."

Gibbs knocked softly and then pushed the door open. Abby was curled up on the bed, facing the opposite wall. "Abbs…" he moved slowly, willing to turn and go if that's what she wanted, but when she didn't answer, he headed further in and circled around the bed and sat beside her. Her eyes were open and she was staring at the wall. Timidly he reached out to run his fingers over her cheek and then through her hair. He was surprised to feel the moisture from her tears on her cheeks. "Nothing happened, here. I came here to talk to Tony, to clear the air. We ended up having a few beers, so I crashed on the couch and he slept in here."

"I thought I was putting myself in a position of being in charge, making the rules so I couldn't get hurt. I guess I just realized that I can't ever be in that position, because no matter what I say or do, you both could leave me again without warning."

Gibbs' heart broke all over again at the pain in her eyes. He toed off his shoes and circled around to the other side of the bed. He crawled onto the bed and curled up behind Abby, wrapping an arm around her middle. He buried her nose in her hair and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of her head. He wanted to tell her that he would never leave her, that he wanted to keep her wrapped up in his arms forever, but he wasn't sure that she would really listen to anything that he said. So instead he held her tight and said the only other thing he could think of. "I love you."

* * *

Tony managed to keep his curiosity in check for twenty minutes before he found himself heading down the hall, listening for their voices. He paused in the doorway and watched quietly. They were on the bed, both facing the far wall. Gibbs was wrapped tightly around Abby and as he stood there, Tony realized that they were both asleep. He tip-toed in and made himself comfortable in the oversized chair in the corner of the room to watch over them as they slept. He wasn't sure how long he sat watching but suddenly Abby startled awake, the sudden movement waking Gibbs as well.

"Easy, Abbs," Gibbs soothed.

"You're here," she stretched and stared up at the ceiling. "I forgot where I was for a moment."

"I'm not going anywhere," he hesitantly pulled her in close again, nuzzling his nose against her cheek. "I might not have handled things the best, but you've got to believe that I've never hurt you on purpose."

"I know," she admitted quietly, "I just… I can't go through that kind of loss again-"

"Abby, please…" he wasn't above begging, but she quieted him with a finger to his lips.

"But I can't just walk away from you guys either. As hard as it is, I just have to trust that you guys won't leave me."

"Abby," Tony stood up from where he'd been watching. "I don't think I'll ever stop apologizing, but I told you, I won't ever push you away again," He sat on the edge of the bed and picked up her hand. "I told Gibbs the same thing you told me, that we'll figure it out together, the three of us. We'll go slow, like you wanted, earn back your trust."

"I know."

"Can I lie down with you? Can we just forget for a few, curl up like before?"

"I'd like that," Abby nodded and scooted toward Gibbs, both of them making room for Tony on the small bed. She was tense as both men curled around her. She let a slow breath out, allowing herself to relax against them. The more she relaxed, the more she allowed emotion over the past few months bubble up to the surface. She squeezed her eyes closed as her tears started up again. She tried to keep her breathing steady as she cried quietly, but when Gibbs tilted his face up to kiss her cheek, she couldn't stop of muffled sob that escaped. She was thankful that neither man said anything; they only hugged her tighter, their gentle touches both soothing and reminding her that they were there to work things out together.

* * *

For three weeks the three of them spent extra time together, rebuilding the personal relationship between them. Both men were eager to resume their physical relationship, but Abby held back, kissing them each good night and then heading home before she could be tempted into more. She never said anything about the two of them – never asked if Tony spent the night at Gibbs' – but she knew they were waiting for her. She still struggled with the memory that they had both been able to push her away, and while she _understood_ the reasoning behind both, it didn't make it hurt any less. She was happy that neither man pushed for more than what she was willing. They often found themselves in a pile on the couch, exchanging long, slow kisses and the gentlest of touches, but nothing beyond that. They went to new bars that Tony wanted to try, they helped Abby with service projects around town and both Tony and Abby took interest in learning to use the hand tools that Gibbs loved so much.

Nothing changed much at work, though Abby overheard Ziva telling McGee that it felt like they were finally a team again – that Gibbs and Tony had worked out any remaining tension and that Abby had re-secured her place as favorite.

* * *

"Damn you Gibbs, you take too many chances," Abby said as she watched the news feed in her lab. Gibbs was standing on the edge of the building trying to talk Michael Arnett down. They knew he was armed, but as she heard Tony tell Gibbs to ease back, she watched with dismay as he leaned forward, blocking Tony's shot. "You know, Ducky, sometimes I think he does it just to piss the rest of us off."

"What's that, my dear?"

"Not listen when we say something for his safety."

"No doubt his gut is telling him there is more to it than what we can see or hear."

"Hope you're right. Still doesn't make it easy to watch." Abby folded her arms across her chest and kept her eyes glued to the TV. They watched silently until there was a bang. They could see Gibbs duck, and suddenly Arnett was falling. The news channel quickly killed the live feed of the video and went to their on the scene reporter. "Oh God…"

"Gibbs is fine," they could hear Tony say.

Abby let out a sigh. "Sometimes I think this job is more stressful than it's worth." She shook her head and turned back to her computer, missing the questioning look from Ducky.

Two hours later Gibbs strode into the lab. Abby was about to throw herself at him, but held herself back and instead headed for her back office. "You've got blood on your shirt."

Gibbs looked down and saw a bit of blood spatter on the neck of his polo and accepted the clean shirt Abby handed him. He shrugged out of his jacket and lifted the polo over his head and tossed it in the trash and then pulled the clean one on. As soon as he had the clean shirt on he got what he had come for – a hug from his girl. He couldn't stay long, but watching Arnett die even though he was coming in off the ledge had been hard. He brushed a lingering kiss to her cheek and then headed for autopsy. He knew Ducky wouldn't be ready yet, but he had questions.

Abby followed Gibbs out of the lab, but headed up the stairs to the squad room while Gibbs took the elevator down to autopsy. Tony had told her about McGee's fear of heights and she had dug up a business card for someone she thought could help. She found them eating left over fortune cookies from lunch the day before.

As Tony read his, Abby stopped in front of McGee's desk. "What's yours say?"

McGee picked up his fortune and read, "as you approach life's crossroads, look both ways."

"I'm sure it's meaningful. Just think about it and search your inner self," she handed him the business card.

"Hypnotherapist?" Rather than look at Abby, McGee directed his gaze toward Tony, as he pretended to type. "What is this for?"

"She does wonders for phobias."

"Tony, who else did you tell?" He should have known that telling Tony anything meant that it would be around the office by the end of the day.

"I told you it was a very sensitive subject, Abby," he grimaced.

"Your turn!" Abby ignored Tony's comment and moved over to Ziva's desk.

"I refuse to make decisions based on stupid sayings inside stale cookies." She tossed the cookie to Abby with a laugh.

Abby caught it easily and pulled the fortune out. "Welcome an invitation to change your financial future. Hm. Gotta go." She turned and skipped back toward the elevator.

"That was incredible!" Tony jumped up from his desk as soon as Abby was gone. "It was fate that Abby opened that cookie."

Ziva nodded, clearly impressed. "She's good, she didn't blink an eye."

"It's why I don't play poker with her," MeGee added.

Tony was ready with a reply, but as Gibbs came around the corner, he hurried back to his desk as Ziva reported on Arnett's wife. He tried to pay attention, but he was still caught up with Abby's fortune. The previous night, Gibbs and the team had stayed late into the evening on a conference call with LA and Abby had been asleep by the time they got home. It wasn't unusual, but the scent of one of Abby's more formal perfumes was in the air, and a simple black dress hung on the back of the door. Neither man had known of any plans she may have had, but first thing when they arrived at NCIS, someone in the mail room had said they had seen Abby with a head-hunter the night before. He didn't think she would leave NCIS, and certainly not without discussing it with him and Gibbs first, but he couldn't help but let a few of his insecurities surface as he wondered what secrets she may be hiding from them.

He wanted to pull Gibbs aside and ask if he had heard anything, but every time he worked up the nerve to ask, Ziva or McGee found something new about Arnett and he had to push his personal worries aside.

It all came to a head down in Abby's lab as people fought over Abby's attention. Suddenly a sharp whistle shut everyone up. "Back off! All of you, okay? I am _one _person."

"Whoa," Gibbs stepped in. "Easy, Abbs." He had never seen her so flustered in her lab before.

"No! It's late, I'm tired, I'm over worked and I am taken for granted," she turned back to her computer. She didn't mean to snap, but sometimes she felt like people assumed that what she did was easy. She loved her job, but it was more than just rattling off results at lightning speed. She had to get those results as well.

Gibbs started to turn away, but then stopped. He had overheard Tony gossiping about a possible job offer and though he was hesitant to believe she would ever leave, he found himself wondering since she made no mention of it. "Maybe you should accept that job offer." As soon as the words were out, he knew he had taken it too far.

Abby spun around, looking more hurt than any of them had seen her look in quite a while. The small gasp from McGee didn't go unheard. Her hand flew out and smacked the back of Tony's head and she looked at Gibbs with a frown. "I can't believe you'd say that to me, Gibbs. How could you think that I'd be leaving? Because I got a little mad? So what! We're family, that's allowed. I get 3-4 job offers every year and I've never considered any of them."

"Then why'd you have dinner with that head-hunter?" Tony asked.

"Have you ever had the beluga caviar at the Ritz Carlton? And besides, it was nice to feel wanted. Now get out of here, all of you. I have work to do." She turned back to her computer. She knew she'd have to answer to her guys once they were home, but for now she had to focus on the case.

They were almost to the door when Abby heard the unmistakable sound of Gibbs smacking the back of Tony's head. Hard.

"What was that for?" Tony whined.

"Spreading rumors."

* * *

"Where's Gibbs?"

"Is that what you get for turning down the job offer?" Ziva looked up as Abby entered the squad room, a bouquet of black roses in her hand.

"No, for solving the case," she smiled down at the flowers.

Tony pouted after sending her a playful wink. "Then I believe those are for me, as I solved the case."

Abby couldn't help but roll her eyes as Tony, McGee and Ziva bickered playfully over who really solved the case. If it had been a real argument, Abby would have stepped up to say that they had worked as a team, but the playful posturing between the three was too amusing to break up. Only when Tony rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in defeat, did Abby speak up. "He still loves me," she took a few steps to stand toe-to-toe with Tony and pulled a black rose from her bouquet. "And I still love you." She gave him a knowing smile as she handed him the flower. It would be as much of a public declaration of love as she could get. "See you guys tomorrow." With a wave she headed to the elevator and out to her car.

Abby got to Gibbs' house first and found a vase for her black roses, setting them in the center of the dining table. It would still be an hour before the guys were home – they still had paper work to wrap up. She thought about making them dinner, but opening the fridge confirmed her suspicions that there wasn't much to make. She ordered delivery from Tony's favorite pizza place and made mental note to pick up groceries for him the next day.

Gibbs arrived just after the pizza was delivered and Tony was just minutes behind him.

"Thanks for the flowers," she smiled shyly.

"Welcome. Did you plan on telling us about dinner with the head hunter?"

Abby nodded. "It was a last minute invite, and then we were so busy with the case, I forgot. And you," she turned to Tony, "should have said something if you were so worried. What would ever give you the impression that I would leave NCIS?"

"I didn't think you would have, but everyone was talking and I just got caught up in it all. And did you mean what you said about wanting to feel wanted? I know we've… things have been rough, but if you-" He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close.

"I know, we're working on things," she glanced back at Gibbs, "it's just that at work sometimes I am pulled in eight different directions and I feel like people forget just how much work goes into some of those tests."

"Sorry, babe." Tony nosed his way down her neck before nipping at her collarbone. "I'll try and keep the probie in line."

Gibbs snorted and shook his head and lifted the lids on both pizzas, and took a slice of each before heading to the sofa. Abby joined him shortly and leaned against him as she took a bite of pizza.

"Who offered the job?"

"Right, like I'm going to tell you," Abby laughed. "I don't need you getting into a pissing contest with another agency."

"I can find out other ways."

"I know, but I'm hoping you'll respect me enough to leave it alone. I'm not leaving, I never will. And plus, it was a nice, free dinner."

"You want a nice dinner, you tell _me_," Gibbs tapped her nose gently.

"Gibbs is right," Tony sat in a chair opposite them, his feet propped up on the coffee table. "Let us take care of you."

Abby shook her head. "It's not that. It's nice to know what I'm worth."

"Abby-"

"No, you guys… Our reviews are coming up. It's nice to have a concrete number for when I talk to Director Sheppard. I know NCIS can't afford to pay me what I was offered, but knowing exactly what I'm worth to other agencies will go a long way in figuring out my yearly bonus. It's always been that way, that's why I entertain those head-hunters every year. I need their number."

A grin tugged at Tony's lips. "You never cease to amaze me. You know, the FBI once offered me a job, think it'd work for me?"

"I wouldn't mention it DiNozzo, Jen might suggest you take it."

* * *

TBC

Happy Holidays!


	26. Chapter 26

Thanks for the lovely reviews, follows and favorites. Sorry about the delay!

* * *

Abby frowned as the team gathered their gear and headed for the elevator. She had somehow managed to convince everyone to attend the Brain Matter concert with her. A friend had scored extra tickets for her and with a little arm twisting and batting her lashes, Tim, Tony and Ziva had agreed to join her. She hadn't even gotten the chance to ask Gibbs, the look on his face told her no - though he offered to take her to lunch instead.

But now lunch and the concert was a bust and she was being left behind while the others headed out. She worked on a few things for other teams as she waited for them to check in. They were bringing a satellite phone so they could go over what they found with her and the director. As soon as the call came in, she called for the director.

She was horrified to hear that the ship had been abandoned, but when Ducky said he thought that the captain had died from hemorrhagic fever. She worked blindly as she talked them through the various tests that needed to be run, and the whole time she fought against the panic that she might never see them again. She had so much left to say to everyone, but Tony and Gibbs especially. She went over all the times she had wanted to spend the night with them, wanted their hands on her body. She fought the urge to cry every time they asked for clarification on running a test.

Abby watched through the small screen as the others left Ducky with the body and a walkie-talkie to get a hold of Gibbs. She listened as he spoke to the body and tried to take some comfort from the normalcy that Ducky offered. He worked on a few more tests as Abby listened and watched. Suddenly he turned around to face the camera. "Abigail, these people were infected via rat bites. The virus isn't airborne."

Abby wanted to jump and shout and cry and scream at the same time. Her joy was short lived when Gibbs rushed in to grab Ducky. There were pirates headed for the ship and they needed to get away as quickly as possible. Abby wasn't sure what was going on, but she was surprised when Jen suddenly clamped down on any other information. Abby followed her to MTAC, but then found the door shut in her face. When she came back out fifteen minutes later, her face was grim.

"What… what is it?"

Jen shook her head. "We don't know if they made it off the ship."

"Made it off…?"

"Before it exploded."

"No," Abby shook her head and turned to leave. She wasn't going through this again. She gathered her things from the lab, turned off the lights and headed to Gibbs house. She grabbed the pillow and blanket he kept on the sofa, made herself as comfortable as possible and settled in to wait. She told herself over and over again that nothing had happened, but until she knew for certain she just kept repeating the same thing, over and over again.

* * *

Gibbs wasn't surprised to find that the lab was dark when they returned. It was late and had taken them quite some time to get back. They had headed for land, but luckily come across a coastguard ship. They had been taken onboard and a helicopter flew them back to mainland. They were two hours south of DC and it had taken some convincing for a local cop to drive them back to NCIS. Jen wanted the details immediately, but Gibbs told her it could wait and he sent his team home. He noticed that Tony seemed to be hesitating, so together they headed to the lab.

"You think we should stop by her place? Or, I mean… if you want to stop by, or I could, or… whatever."

"I don't think she went home, let's check my place." Gibbs wasn't sure how much she knew, but the likelihood that Abby had just gone home was slim.

"Yeah, that makes more sense…" Tony trailed off, unsure if he should ask if he could come over as well.

"You wanna ride over, or you gonna take your own car?"

Tony let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. "I'll take my own car over," he answered with a big smile.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, Gibbs was the first back to his house. As predicted, Abby's car was out front. He headed up the front step and let himself in, making sure that he left the front door unlocked for Tony. Abby was asleep on the couch, curled up in his blanket, her raven hair fanned out over his pillow. She looked exhausted, and her eyes looked puffy as though she had been crying. "Abbs…" He nudged her back a bit so he could sit on the couch as well, and ran his fingers over her cheek.

"Gibbs…?"

"Yeah, it's me…" he looked up as Tony let himself in and then locked up. "Tony, too."

"You're okay?" she pushed herself up into a seated position and rubbed her hands over her eyes.

"We're fine. Not even a scratch – though Tony has a freckle that's had him on edge all day." Gibbs looked to the younger man, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Tony glared back. "That freckle wasn't there before."

"What freckle?" Abby asked.

Tony sat on the edge of the coffee table and held out his hand. "This one."

Abby looked over his hand and then up at Tony. "That's been there forever." She pulled his hand to her lips and kissed it. "Is everyone okay?"

"We're fine."

"Can… can I stay? Can we all sleep here tonight?"

Gibbs leaned in and nuzzled his nose against her cheek before tilting her face to his for a gentle kiss. "Only if we can hold you all night."

"I would like that," Abby pulled back the blanket and got up, reaching for both men to lead them upstairs.

Both were caught off guard that Abby had been only in one of Gibbs' tees and her underwear under the blanket, and they were mesmerized as they followed her up the stairs to the bedroom. Abby was already ready for bed so she headed straight for the bed. Gibbs and Tony split up – Gibbs going into the master bathroom, Tony going to the one in the hall. Gibbs was the first back in the bedroom and he smiled at Abby as she curled up in the center of the bed. "Missed seein' you in my bed."

"And I've missed sleeping next to you. Both of you," she corrected as Tony came back into the room. She waited patiently as both men stripped down to their boxers and climbed between the sheets. Tony moved in first to wrap himself around her and then it was Gibbs' turn. Abby smiled to herself as Gibbs half covered her, pushing a leg between hers and then reaching out to rest his arm over Tony as well. "Hope the window is cracked open a bit, always a bit toasty with two human comforters," she wriggled an arm around Gibbs' and reached up to lace her fingers with Tony's.

Uncharacteristically, Gibbs was the first to fall asleep. Tony laughed and snuggled in impossibly closer. "I don't think he's been sleeping well since… well, before everything. We talked about a week ago," he whispered, "talked about how he missed us in his bed, but he didn't want to rush you into anything."

"Wasn't trying to keep you two apart, I just needed…"

"No, we know, but… this is between the three of us. Not fair if we're all on different pages. I don't know what you were thinking, but… the next few nights… he needs this, us."

Abby nodded and then hesitated as Gibbs mumbled something in his sleep and shifted closer to bury his face against her neck. "I know, I'm not going anywhere."

"Good."

* * *

Gibbs woke slowly, the first thing he recognized was how well he slept. He felt fully rested for the first time in months. He was relaxed and his muscles didn't ache from a night curled up on the sofa. The soft scent of Abby's shampoo tickled his nose and it was then that he realized his body was reacting to the fact that there was a woman curled against his chest and the heavy arm of a man resting over him. Usually Tony slept sprawled out, but this time he was curled around Abby as well, his arm reaching over her to hold on to Gibbs.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd woken with an erection. It had happened more frequently before he left for Mexico. It had happened occasionally in Mexico, but usually subsided quickly. Since he'd been back, he had woken a few times after dreaming about Tony and Abby and stumbled to the bathroom to take care of business. Usually it was after lackluster sex with Hollis, once he had tried to push the thoughts of his former lovers away by losing himself in her only to find himself ready to call out their names instead.

He tried to shift away, but Abby tightened her hold on him. "Gibbs…" she mumbled against his chest and snuggled in closer. "Don't leave."

"Just gonna hit the head." He needed to calm down first though.

He moved away and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He was about to get up when Abby's hand wrapped around his wrist. "Gibbs?"

"Yeah?"

"Let us take care of that…" she nodded to the obvious bulge in his boxers.

"Okay," he grinned, looking to Tony next, happy to see that he was awake too. "Just give me a minute, still need to hit the head." He headed for the bathroom and leaned against the counter and drew in a ragged breath. He could hear Abby and then Tony pad barefoot across the hall to use the other bathroom. Once he was done, he headed back to the bedroom. He rolled his eyes at the sight that greeted him.

Both his lovers were back in bed and Abby was laughing as she tried to fend off Tony's wandering hands and mouth. "I keep telling him we need to wait for you, but he's being a little impatient."

"Tony impatient?" He pushed his boxers down and moved closer to the bed. "That's something I've never heard before."

Tony lifted his head from Abby's breast, letting it go from his mouth with a soft _pop_. "Hey! It's not my fault that I choose action when you two just want to sit around and chat." He grinned big at Gibbs and then buried his face against Abby's neck. "I'm thinking I made the better choice."

Gibbs sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to cup Abby's cheek. "You're ready to take this further?" Gibbs had been looking forward to reconnecting with his lovers in bed, but hadn't wanted Abby to feel rushed or pressured. She had been hurt the worst by both men, so they had agreed to go at whatever pace she was comfortable with. Almost instantly she had resumed her playful and flirtatious banter, but she had been skittish when the three of them were alone and made it clear that she wasn't ready to spend the night or do anything more physical.

Abby closed her eyes and smiled as she leaned into his touch. "I'm naked in your bed, pretty sure that's a clear go-ahead."

Gibbs traced his thumb over her lower lip and then leaned in to kiss her. He was lost in the reassurance of her kiss when Tony's mouth sealed over and nipped at one of his nipples. "DiNozzo!"

Tony fell back on the bed and stretched out with his hands behind his head, a smug grin on his face. He was naked and his cock half hard. "Now you're getting the right idea."

Leaning in, Gibbs pressed another quick kiss to Abby's lips before moving forward on the bed to cover Tony's body with his own. He pinned Tony's hands loosely above his head and kissed him roughly, nipping at his lips, chin and collar bone.

"Boss!" Tony laughed, wiggling below the older man. "Abby, help!"

Abby leaned up against the headboard and clutched a pillow to her chest. "Nuh uh, you brought this on yourself, trying to hurry him."

"Don't think you're not part of this," Gibbs reached out and wrapped a strong arm around her waist and dragged her down beside Tony, his kisses moving along Tony's shoulder and then over to hers.

Abby moved to her side and wrapped around Tony, spreading her fingers across his chest and leaning in to nuzzle his cheek. She turned his face toward hers and leaned in for a kiss as Gibbs slowly worked down his body. Gibbs licked his way down Tony's neck before fastening his mouth over a nipple. From there he worked down Tony's chest before kissing over the younger mans ribs. He swirled his tongue in Tony's bellybutton and grinned as Tony tensed under him. His soft moans were muted by Abby's kisses, but more than hearing Tony's appreciation, he loved the way his body responded. Little muscles tensing, his dick twitching, the way his hands grasped on to whatever he could find – Abby's hair, the sheets, whatever was in reach.

Tony pulled away from Abby's kiss, panting. "God, this is gonna be over quick,"

"Haven't even touched you yet, DiNozzo." Gibbs grinned, looking up the long plane of Tony's body before kissing over Tony's thighs.

"I know, but you're so close and Abby's kissing me and I can't even think straight."

"I can stop kissing you."

"No," Tony growled, reaching out to wrap his hand around the back of her neck and pull her back in. "Just don't judge me when I shame the family name."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Judged you long time ago."

"S'why you have me for a senior field agent."

"Too much talking, Abby…" Gibbs motioned for her to kiss Tony again to shut him up. With the two of them occupied, Gibbs reached for the nightstand and pulled out a small packet and a bottle of lube. He smiled when Tony tensed briefly at the sound of the cap clicking open, but then relaxed and spread his legs wider, his feet planted firmly on the bed to give Gibbs more room.

Gibbs had to remind himself to breathe as he circled Tony's tight hole with his finger. It had been months since he had indulged in sex with Tony. Sex with his lovers was overwhelming, and he knew he needed to hold back on some of the emotion until he could have some time alone to process. If he let it all sink in now, he'd be a mess before any of them got off. He wanted it all, but knew he wouldn't last long enough to indulge the way he wanted. Once he was certain Tony was ready, he ripped open the condom and rolled it on before slicking himself up. "Tony…" He needed to see Tony's eyes as he entered him.

As Tony pulled away from Abby's kiss to look at him, he already looked well-fucked. His pupils were blown, his lips swollen from Abby's kiss.

"Wait," Abby struggled to sit up and then motioned for Tony to sit up a bit. She worked her way behind him so that her legs were on either side of him and he was leaning back against her. Gibbs nodded and leaned forward to kiss Abby gently before returning to his original plan. He pushed himself against Tony's hole and slowly eased himself inside.

"Oh God…" Tony held eye contact with Gibbs for as long as he could, but eventually his head fell back to Abby's shoulder, his eyes falling shut.

"It good? Like you remember?" Abby asked quietly, whispering in his ear. She couldn't reach his dick, so she settled for tracing her fingers over his chest, tweaking his nipples and then caressing his skin softly.

"Perfect… perfect here with both of you."

Abby held him tight and watched as Gibbs' worked on his on control as he worked toward Tony's release.

He was going to get Tony off and then Abby before he indulged in his own release. Later they could play around, but he needed that one on one of being physically and emotionally connected with each of them to really cement it in his mind that they were all going to be okay. "Touch yourself, Tony." He had a firm grip on Tony's thighs.

"_Yes!"_ Tony only had to stroke himself 3-4 times before he was splashing out over his chest and stomach.

As soon as Tony was coming, Gibbs eased himself from Tony's body and fell beside him on the bed. He was breathing hard and his entire body was tense as he willed himself not to come. He gritted his teeth and pulled the condom off, tossing it aside, not caring where it landed. "Abbs…" He reached for her, urging her to come to him.

Abby wiggled out from behind Tony and nipped at Gibbs' ear. "You sure you don't want me to sit behind you and whisper naughty things in your ear?"

"Abby," he growled a warning. She loved to tease him when he was close, but he didn't want to end things before he was in her. He assumed she'd come lie beside him, but instead she straddled him and teased herself over him before sliding down over his hardness.

"Oh Gibbs…" Abby was almost moved to tears once they were finally joined. She had been anticipating being with him again, but never expected the intense emotions once they were finally together. She stared down at him, almost unable to move. Her hands rested down on his chest and she could feel his heart pounding under her palm.

Gibbs reached up to hold her hair back, out of her face. As he pushed in to her with her staring down at him, it was like so many nights alone where he was certain she was there, watching him, only to open his eyes and find himself alone.

He reached out to touch her clit, but she pushed his hand away. "Not yet," she gasped. She didn't want it to end so soon.

Gibbs pushed himself into a seated position, keeping her in his lap. He couldn't thrust into her, but Abby could rock her hips against his. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight to his body. He glanced over at Tony, the younger man was on his side, watching them. He was no longer hard, but his eyes were clouded with lust as he watched. Gibbs reached out to him, lacing their fingers together as he buried her face against Abby's neck. "Abbs, I can't…" He couldn't hold out much longer.

"Let go, Gibbs…" She kept her steady motions and held him close. He was breathing heavily and trembling in her arms. "Let go," she urged.

Gibbs came with a deep growl, falling back again so he could push up into her. He pumped up into her and reached for her clit again. This time she let him work her toward the edge. Her eyes were closed as she let herself crept toward her release. She gasped as his thumb passed over her clit and opened her eyes. Meeting his dark gaze, she allowed herself her release and cried out as she came.

As her body went limp, Gibbs lowered her down against his chest and into his arms. "Easy, Abbs…" he soothed as he pulled himself from her body.

Tony reached down to grab the blankets that had been kicked away and pulled them up over the three of them. He settled behind Abby, spooning in closer so he could reach Gibbs as well.

"I wish we could just block out the rest of the world, you know?" Abby pulled Tony's arm tighter around her as she nuzzled her face against Gibbs' chest. "Just for a little while, just be the three of us and no one else."

"We've got the day off today; we don't have to leave the house. Don't even have to leave the bed, except to grab some food and hit the head," Gibbs offered. He wasn't one for being lazy for long, but after all they had been through, he could give up a day to lie around with his lovers. He needed to re-memorize the warmth of their skin against his, the smell of Abby's shampoo and Tony's favorite body wash.

"Sounds like a plan to me, what about you?" Tony grazed his teeth along the shell of her ear. "We'll keep the door locked, turn off our phones. Here to the couch, back to bed again. A few snacks in between."

"I would like that. But I will have to hit the grocery store at some point, not much of selection in the fridge."

"Can order delivery," Gibbs suggested, he wasn't really keen on letting her out of his reach, let alone sight.

Abby laughed, "I know. But we do that a lot, I'd like to cook for you boys. Oh! I could do some baking. Nothing like the smell of cookies in the oven on a lazy day."

Tony pulled back the covers in a hurry. "Go, get out of here… go get cookie supplies."

"Tony!" Abby gasped at the rush of cold air and reached for the thick blankets. Although she'd been overheated at one point, their bodies were cooling rapidly, and she had enjoyed the heat from the two men. "Maybe I should make a list and send _you_ for groceries."

"Mmm, don't do that," Gibbs smirked. "He'll come home with nothing from the list and everything we don't need. But don't go yet, too early for cookies anyway."

* * *

TBC…

Hope you all had a wonderful NYE!


	27. Chapter 27

Alright, you've all been so lovely – an extra-long chapter just for you!

* * *

Both Tony and Abby had been confused with the way Gibbs had walked past them, Maddie Tyler at his side. He said nothing, so as soon as the elevator doors closed, they were leaning over McGee's desk as he searched for any clues as to whom the young woman was. As soon as they saw the memorial post about her childhood friend _Kelly_, they understood.

Tony and Abby shared a look – there was no way this was going to be easy on Gibbs, no matter what she needed help with.

* * *

Abby rushed into autopsy, and avoided looking at Gibbs. "Gibbs, I don't want to see you, I have nothing for you yet. I'm working on it as fast as I can and you know how fast that is. Nobody is faster than me. I'm the master of faster. Normally, but there is nothing normal about this." She turned to Ducky. "Do you have my things?"

Ducky nodded and began to gather the evidence that Abby had come for.

"We're going to find her, Gibbs. We're going to find her, you believe that, right? Wait, don't answer that. Forget I asked. Just… Okay," she took the evidence from Ducky, signing for it quickly. "I need all of you to get out of my lab, let me do my thing. I have all these samples to test and Major Mass-spec is going to blow up and protest if I don't blow up first…." She hesitated as she looked around. Sorry… this isn't my lab. I'm gonna go."

* * *

When Tony found that Gibbs had left without his badge, he refused to admit that the twist in his gut was worry. Gibbs had his gun, so that made him feel better, but it meant that he wasn't playing by the rules. And if Gibbs wasn't playing by the rules anymore, he couldn't anticipate what his next move would be.

"Get down to her apartment, find the mailman," Director Shepard send McGee and Ziva on their way. "He figured it out," she said once it was just her and Tony.

"And he didn't tell us. You call him?"

Jenny nodded. "You?"

"Yeah, and he didn't pick up."

With McGee and Ziva headed to Maddie's apartment, Tony followed the director to Abby's lab to see if she had anything else for them to go on. By the look on Abby's face, he knew she was just as worried as he was. She kept things professional, and when the director told him to go to the old dock, he wanted to reach out and hug Abby first, but instead turned away – he was determined to find their lover before he could do anything stupid.

When he arrived at the dock there was no sign of Gibbs or his car. Tony circled around to the front of the building and was in the middle of a call to Ziva to check on where they were when he heard gun shots inside the old warehouse. Grabbing his gun, Tony pushed his way in and watched as Gibbs sped backwards out of the warehouse, two thugs shooting at him.

Tony ran forward, double tapping both of them as he ran after the car that had plunged into the icy water. He kept running and tossed his gun aside as he dove head first into the water, hoping to find Gibbs and Maddie coming up toward him. By the time he made to the car, he could see Gibbs struggling to get the windshield to break. Tony's lungs burned as he helped to pull the windshield away and pull an unconscious Maddie from the vehicle. He kicked toward the surface and swam with her to the edge before lifting her out. He looked back, expecting to see Gibbs behind him, but when he wasn't, he dove back down. Gibbs was still in his seat in the car and Tony realized that the steering wheel was holding him in place. He pulled hard and it eventually gave way so he could pull the older man to the surface.

His heart was pounding as he pulled Gibbs out of the water and on to the dock. "Come on, boss… don't do this. Don't do this to me." He felt for a pulse and checked for breathing. Finding neither, he sealed his mouth over Gibbs and started CPR, the whole time begging Gibbs not to die. He looked up to see that Maddie wasn't breathing either. He gave Gibbs a few more breaths and then moved to the girl, hoping that he could alternate between the two until Ziva and McGee arrived and could help. After two breaths, Maddie sputtered and coughed up some water and they both turned to look at Gibbs. Tony's heart soared when Gibbs blinked twice and turned his head to look at them.

Tony wanted to both kiss and beat the shit out of him for worrying him so much, but a coughing fit took over and Tony doubled over coughing, the stress on his plague-scarred lungs taking over.

Tony looked up when he heard a car pull up and couldn't remember ever being more glad to see Ziva and McGee in his life. "Call…" he coughed again. "Call 'em an ambulance. Both were unconscious when I pulled them out of the water."

McGee was already dialing by the time Tony finished. "ETA five minutes."

"Get Ducky, too. Two dead," he coughed, "over there." He nodded back to the warehouse and Ziva headed over to double check, her gun held firmly in her hand. They were indeed dead, but she secured their weapons anyway and headed back. She frowned when Tony coughed again, "Tony?"

"I'm fine, just… just a tickle." He explained what he had seen and his efforts to get both Maddie and Gibbs out of the car.

They heard the sirens of the ambulance before they saw the flashing lights, and McGee helped Maddie to sit up, rubbing her back gently as she caught her breath.

"You okay?" Gibbs finally spoke once Maddie was up.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I think so. Thank you."

Maddie was loaded into the first ambulance and Gibbs into the second one, though he refused to be on a stretcher. Tony joined him, but said nothing during the ride, despite the fact that the EMT kept an eye on him the entire time. He was too busy thinking of how he was going to explain the whole situation to Abby that he didn't even realize they were at the hospital until the backdoors opened, and ER staff stood waiting with two wheel chairs. Gibbs reluctantly sat in one, and Tony assumed the other one was for Maddie until a nurse pushed him down.

"Don't worry Mr. DiNozzo, we're well aware of your lung issues since you had and called Dr. Pitt to come have a look."

Tony's eyes went wide, "wait, what? I wasn't trapped under water, I'm fine."

"Special Agent McGee called in, said that you had been coughing and that we should check you out as well - just precautionary."

"Do as they say, DiNozzo." Gibbs spoke up. He could see Tony fighting a shiver from being in the cold water.

Knowing that Gibbs was in good hands, Tony didn't fight and went willingly with the nurses and was happy to change out of his wet clothes and into the scrubs they provided. He wasn't thrilled with the IV Dr. Pitt insisted on, but the IV was warm and as he started to shiver more and more, he decided it wasn't such a bad idea after all. He was in the middle of wondering what exactly he would say to Abby to explain what happened, but then remembered that his phone when in the water with him, so he couldn't call. Maybe he had lucked out and didn't have to say anything until he was back at NCIS where he could downplay what had happened. _A quick dip in the water to help get Maddie back on the dock_ would sound a lot better than _Gibbs was unconscious and trapped in a car underwater_. But then he remembered that he had told McGee everything. He pushed the nurses call button twice and then a third time until one of the nurses hurried in. "I need a phone, now." He needed to call McGee and tell him not to call Abby, and if he did call her, to leave out the unconscious bits.

"Oh My God, Oh My God…"

It was too late. As soon as Tony heard her voice in the hall he waved the nurse away. "I'm in here Abbs," he called out.

"Tony!" Abby stood in the doorway, he eyes wide. "McGee called me and… why do you have an IV?"

"Just precautionary because of my lungs, that's all. As soon as this is finished," he pointed to the IV bag, "then I'm out of here. Already saw Dr. Pitt."

"Where's Gibbs? Maddie? Are they okay?" She approached the bed and wrapped her slender hands around his. "God, your hands are like ice." She leaned in for a quick kiss and then wrinkled her nose. "And you stink."

"Yeah, water wasn't the warmest or cleanest. I'm not sure where they are, but they'll both be fine, why don't you go find Gibbs?"

"I don't want to leave you." She squeezed his hand a little tighter.

"I'm not going anywhere, go. I'd go find them myself, but I can't yet. Go find out how they are. Can you do that for me?"

Abby leaned in and cupped his face in her hands to kiss him again, this time letting her lips linger against his. "Thank you for saving him."

Tony smiled and then nodded toward the door. "Go."

As soon as she was out the door, Abby leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. She promised herself that she wasn't going to cry, but seeing Tony in the hospital bed and feeling how cold his hands were, she had almost lost it. She took a few slow, deep breaths and then steeled her features and went to ask where Gibbs was. She was directed down the hall and to the right, but before she reached the room where he was supposed to be, she caught sight of him standing beside Maddie's bed. She hung back and watched as he looked down on the young woman. Maddie was asleep, and her hand was wrapped up in both of Gibbs.

She stepped back out into the hall and willed herself not to cry. She tilted her head back against the wall and squeezed her eyes shut. She wanted to be in his arms, she wanted to tell him that she loved him, but she didn't want to interrupt his time with Maddie – there was no doubt in her mind that he was imagining it was his own daughter for the briefest of moments. A firm hand on her shoulder startled her from her thoughts and her eyes opened to find Gibbs standing beside her. She hesitated a moment before wrapping her arms around him as tightly as possible.

"Easy Abbs…" Tony hadn't cracked a rib doing CPR on him, but his chest was certainly sore.

"Sorry, I just… I'm so glad you're okay." Abby didn't care who else may have seen them, or that he smelled as bad as Tony, all she wanted was a kiss. "When can I take you boys home?"

"Soon," he leaned in to kiss her again and then peeked back in the room at Maddie. "She's got a friend coming to pick her up, and Tony has to finish his antibiotics."

"How come you don't have an IV? Shouldn't you be on antibiotics too?"

"Maddie and I were given oral antibiotics, Tony's getting an IV because of his lungs. Why don't you go wait with him, I'll come find you when her friend arrives."

"Ok."

* * *

Tony was in the middle of having his IV removed when Gibbs found them. "Ready to go?"

Both Abby and Tony looked up at the sound of his voice and Abby rushed forward to hug him again. "Tony's almost ready. I called the Director and told her I was watching the both of you this weekend. She said if she sees either of you in the office before Monday you're on desk duty for three weeks."

Neither man said much as they got into Abby's car, and for once Gibbs didn't automatically expect to drive - not that Abby would have let him. As soon as they were back at Gibbs, Abby had them inside and the doors locked and then she rushed them up to the shower. Both men were exhausted so they let her fuss over them, stripping them both and then herself and squeezing all three of them into the water. No one said a word as she took turns soaping each of them up, shampooed their hair and rinsed them off. The water was hot and her hands worked to ease their tense muscles. She left them under the hot water so she could run downstairs to grab towels their towels from the dryer.

"You didn't even try to get out of the car," Tony said quietly once Abby was out of ear shot.

"I was stuck, Tony. I couldn't."

"You wanted to die in that water, didn't you?" He kept his voice low.

"I… I saw them. I wanted to be with them so bad, but they told me no. I was stuck Tony, I wasn't trying to kill myself." Gibbs wrapped his arms around the younger man and pulled him into a hug as they waited for Abby to return.

She didn't take long and she held up a large, warm towel for each of them. She still had yet to say anything to them since they had left the hospital, and when Tony opened his mouth to reassure her, Gibbs shook his head. He wanted for them to be dressed and all curled up on the couch before she finally lost it (which he was sure she would). Gibbs dressed in cargo pants, a long-sleeve tee and a sweatshirt. For now he wanted to cuddle up on the sofa, but at some point he knew he would need some time alone to work in the basement. Both Tony and Abby changed into sweatpants and t-shirts and Tony pulled a hoodie on as well.

Gibbs could see Abby's chin quiver as they approached the couch, so he grabbed the tissue box from the book shelf and set it within reach on one of the end tables. He sat down and leaned back against the arm of the couch. He was hardly settled before Abby was sitting between his legs, leaning against his chest and then Tony piled on the couch next to them, leaning in close.

Her face was pressed to Gibbs' chest, but as soon as her shoulders started to shake they both hugged her tight.

"I… I could… have…have lost both of you… today."

Tony wanted to remind her that he was fine, and that he had been playing by the rules, and that the only reason that he had been in the filthy water was because Gibbs had to be the goddamned hero and go off the grid, but there was nothing he could do to change it at this point. So instead he sent a meaningful look to Gibbs and then nuzzled against Abby's neck and whispered reassurances in her ear.

Gibbs ran a hand gently through her hair until she was through crying and then handed her a tissue. She finally looked up at him with her red-rimmed eyes and it broke his heart that he had even considered leaving her behind. As much as he missed Shannon and Kelly, he had Tony and Abby now and seeing her so torn up over even the possibility of losing him, cut him deep. He didn't even want to think about the fact that he had jeopardized Tony's health until he was alone in the basement. It didn't take long before both Tony and Abby had fallen asleep, trapping him on the couch. He so desperately needed time in the basement, but he couldn't bring himself to move them, so he held on tight and fought through the emotions coursing through his body the best he could.

Abby woke after an hour, lifting her head and blinking up at Gibbs. "You okay?"

He nodded.

"Basement?"

He nodded again. With her help shifting most of Tony's weight onto her, Gibbs was able to work his way free. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head and then headed down the basement steps.

When Tony woke twenty minutes later, his head was nestled against Abby's chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. "Basement?" he asked, guessing that if Gibbs wasn't with them, he was downstairs.

"Yeah," Abby used her leg to wrap around him and hold him even tighter. "Tell me what happened, everything."

"It's not important, it's all over now."

"I need to know, otherwise I'm going to quietly over-analyze it until I just can't handle it anymore."

"Sometimes you're just like Gibbs, you know that? But fine," he sighed. He knew she was right and if she didn't have the full picture she would probably come up with something ten times worse (not that Gibbs trapped in a car at the bottom of the river wasn't bad enough). He started with watching the car go backwards into the water, and ended with their trip to the hospital. He left out the bit about Gibbs not struggling to get free, but other than that he told her about doing CPR on the both of them, leaning up to kiss away the tears that were rolling down her cheeks.

"Thank you," she sniffed. "Thank you for telling me."

Tony nodded and rested his head back on her chest. "I know how your mind works, you needed to know."

"Are you hungry?"

Tony was about to say no, that he'd rather spend time curled up with her, but his stomach chose that moment to rumble. "I guess I am."

"How about I heat up some soup, is that okay? Are you still chilled?"

"Sounds perfect." Tony shifted so that she could get up. "Did you need help?"

"Nah, you rest. I'll bring some out to you when it's ready." She couldn't help herself as she bent down and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips. She held up her hand to sign _I love you_, one of the few signs Tony knew.

* * *

With the soup heated, Abby hesitated outside the basement door. Tony was still sprawled across the sofa, watching a basketball game, and Gibbs had yet to come up from the basement. She took a deep breath and opened the door, heading down the stairs. She expected to see him in a cloud of sawdust, but instead he was sitting on the floor, his back against the workbench, an old metal lunchbox in his hands.

"Abbs?"

"I… I heated up some soup, didn't know if you wanted to come up or if you aren't hungry I can just leave…"

"Come here," he said quietly, glancing up from the box in his hands only to make sure she was coming and then looked back down. He motioned for her to sit beside him on the floor and then handed her a photo. "I took this photo."

Abby took the photo of the two young girls and immediately recognized it as the one Maddie had posted online. "They look guilty," she smiled.

"They were, I didn't know it at the time, but they had just buried this in my backyard," he rattled the old lunch box. "Maddie told me about it a few days ago. I dug it up to see what was inside. Gonna bury it again, leave it where Kel wanted it."

"She was a beautiful little girl," Abby said focusing on Kelly's face. It was the first time she'd seen a photo of Gibbs' daughter since the night he had told her everything.

Gibbs nodded and lifted a few items from the lunchbox – some things he recognized, others he didn't and assumed they had belonged to Maddie. He went to put the photo in the lunch box, but Abby stopped him. "You don't have to hide her, you know. It's okay to have her picture up, and Shannon. It wouldn't bother me and I'm pretty sure it wouldn't bother Tony."

He hesitated and then put the photo on the workbench. "We'll see. You said soup was ready? I'm just going to go put this back." He got to his feet and gave Abby a hand. He followed her up stairs, the lunch box and a small shovel in hand.

Tony and Abby were halfway through their soup when Gibbs finally joined them. He had put the shovel back in the basement and picked up the photo of the two little girls and brought it up to show Tony. Tony set down his soup bowl and wiped his hands before picking up the photo. "She's really pretty," he commented. When Gibbs smiled, Tony continued. "I dunno, boss… she'd be how old now? I might've picked her instead of you."

Gibbs rolled his eyes, but the smile never left his face. He had been worried that it would take more time for him and Tony to have to work through the events of the day, but if Tony was teasing him then he likely wasn't upset any longer. "I'd have slapped you back to Baltimore," he added gruffly.

Tony laughed. "Yeah, probably."

Although they were all emotionally exhausted, and both men were physically exhausted, Gibbs needed to connect with his lovers in bed before he could sleep. They both helped Abby onto the bed and stripped her slowly, making sure to lavish her bare skin with a flurry of kisses. One she was spread out and comfortably, both Gibbs and Tony stripped quickly. Gibbs pressed the lube into Tony's hand, signaling that he should prep himself. As Tony stretched himself, he watched as Gibbs lowered himself over Abby, and kissed her until she was a boneless heap on the mattress. None of them had the energy to go for long, so as soon as Tony was ready, Gibbs rolled away to make room for Tony.

Tony loved all kinds of sex, but what he loved most was being sandwiched between his two lovers. He knelt over Abby and trailed several kisses from her belly button, up between her breasts, along her neck and finally to her lips. He reached down and pressed himself against her opening. It was hard not to thrust into her right away, but he always waited for Gibbs. Gibbs fingers were warm against his skin and it melted away the memory of how cold Gibbs had felt in the water. He dropped his head forward and pressed his face to Abby's neck as Gibbs held his hips and pushed his way inside. Once he was fully seated in Tony, Gibbs helped him to ease forward into Abby until they were a massive heap on the bed.

Tony was the first to come undone and he clung tightly to Abby as Gibbs pounded into him from behind. Gibbs kept his strokes steady, shifting his weight and making Tony shift until he heard Abby gasp with pleasure. It took only a few more stokes before Abby cried out and he could see her fingers dig into Tony's shoulders. Once he was certain that his two lovers were satisfied, he forgot about finesse and pumped in and out of Tony's ass until he came. His whole body was on fire, every little nerve ending on edge as he let the pleasure wash away a bit of the darkness he'd been feeling inside, and it wasn't until Abby's hand brushed over his forehead that he moved off of Tony, grabbing a t-shirt from the floor to clean up and then settle on the bed.

Tony was half asleep already. He groaned when Gibbs pulled away and buried his face against Abby's neck, snuggling in closer. Gibbs spooned up behind the younger man and reached over him to lace his fingers with Abby. Nothing was said as the three drifted off to sleep.

* * *

TBC…


	28. Chapter 28

Tony scrubbed the towel over his wet hair and then let the towel hang over his shoulders as he headed down the stairs. Abby was curled up on the couch watching a documentary on life in the wilderness of Alaska. He carried the towel to the laundry room and then went to join Abby on the couch "Boss still over at the Director's?"

"Yeah," Abby pulled back the blanket that was draped over her lap and made room for Tony, putting the blanket over him as well. "Carson trusts him, think he was having a hard time settling down for the night."

"He can't say no to a kid, can he?"

Abby shook her head, "nope." She leaned against Tony's shirtless chest and pressed a kiss to his bare skin. "You smell fresh, I like it."

"How come I'm always shirtless after a shower, but you aren't? You were home and showered first, I should've found you sitting here without your top." Hey toyed with the hem of her t-shirt.

She leaned back and grinned up at him. "But if you found me topless, you wouldn't have gone for a shower."

"Point. But now I'm fresh and clean, you're fresh and clean…" He tugged her shirt over her head and then pulled her in for a gentle kiss, enjoying the feel of her warm skin against his.

Abby snuggled into his arms and then returned focus to the show she was watching. "You know, I think Gibbs would do well living off nature like these guys. No bad guys, just living of the land. Building stuff, fishing… food over a fire."

"I love the man, but I draw the line at no cable to watch sports. No power for movies. No, don't even think about suggesting this to him."

Abby laughed, knowing full-well that Gibbs would never ask them to give up city life. He enjoyed getting away for a few days, but he couldn't give up NCIS. "Living in the middle of the wilderness, I wouldn't have to worry about strangers knocking on the door. I could be naked all day."

Tony tweaked one of her nipples and pretended to think it over. "Or I could just put an extra lock on all the doors, pull the blinds and you could be naked around here all day."

"Dream on, buddy."

"I will."

They were quiet a while longer before Tony eventually spoke up, "you think Gibbs wants a kid again?"

Abby's head snapped up. "What makes you think that?"

"You've seen how he is with kids, you know his…history. Do you think..?"

"He's never mentioned that to me. I don't think he would run the risk of losing a child again. Wouldn't survive it if he did."

"Would you… I mean, obviously I can't give him a kid, but I mean, is that something…" Tony wasn't sure how to ask. If Gibbs wanted to have a child again, it would make more sense for him to back away from things. They couldn't raise a child with three parents.

"Tony… do you want a child?"

"Honestly, it's not something I've ever thought about. I never figured I'd settle down with anyone, wouldn't want to put a kid through what I went through growing up. But a child can't have three parents."

Abby sat forward. "Why not?"

Tony raised a brow. "We can't even tell our employers about our relationship, how would we explain that to a kid, their friends, other parents."

"What's wrong with an extra parent providing love?"

"Well, nothing, but people are mean. And anyway, I just… if Gibbs wanted a kid, I could step back a bit, you know… be that fun uncle that hangs out a lot and spends the night occasionally."

Abby shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Tony, first of all, this isn't something we can discuss just the two of us. Second, be honest with what you want. Either way, you won't upset me or Gibbs. Whatever people want, we'll make sure it's something we can all agree on. Third, stop talking about stepping back. You make me worry that you're going to leave me again."

"Tony isn't leaving anyone."

Both Tony and Abby jumped at the sound of Gibbs' voice, neither having heard him come in. "Boss!"

"Gibbs, I swear to God, I'm putting a collar with a bell around your neck." He was always sneaking up on her, and while it was fun when he showed up at her lab and surprised her with the beginnings of an erection pressed against her back side, more often than not, he sent her blood pressure sky-rocketing.

"Wasn't trying to be quiet," he bent to kiss her and then Tony before shrugging out of his coat and hanging it on the coat hanger. "Topless party?" he motioned to the fact that both his lovers were without their shirts. "Didn't hear what else you said, why is Abbs worried you're leaving?" Gibbs sat beside Tony and crowded him back against Abby. "Don't like it when Abby worries," he scolded, it was as much as an admission that _he _didn't like to worry as he could admit to.

"Nothing," Tony lied. "Just… old insecurities flaring up."

Abby reached up to cover Tony's mouth, "Tony's worried that you want a family again and that he isn't included in that."

"Abby!"

Gibbs was silent for a moment. "But I thought we were a family."

"I meant a kid," Tony admitted quietly. "We were talking about Carson, and how good you are with kids. No doubt you're an amazing father."

Gibbs was taken aback at the thought of having a child again. It had been a non-issue with his ex-wives, though while he and Stephanie were together they were getting to the point where they had thoughts of discussing kids. Otherwise, the idea of having another child had never crossed his mind, even in the company of other children. Usually he was reminded of Kelly, but never of the idea of having another. "I've never really thought of having another child."

"But now that it's been brought up..? I don't want to keep you from that dream, if that's what you want."

Abby shook her head as Tony seemed to not be able to stop the train wreck he was on. "Tony, we're only just getting back to where we were. I think it's safe to say, none of us as really at the point where that's even an idea we should be playing around with. And no matter _what_ happens, just… please stop talking about walking away, or stepping back or however else you come up with wording it."

"Abby's right, we need to focus on us, Tony. Don't worry about the future."

"Is he okay?" Tony struggled to change the topic.

"He's fine," Gibbs nodded. "Just needed a little reassurance, he's worried about his dad."

"Director say anything?"

"Nah, wanted me to spend the night," he rolled his eyes. Both Tony and Abby knew about their history, but he had assured them both that he was no longer interested.

"Did you tell her you had two incredibly hot, half naked lovers waiting at home to please you in any way needed?"

"You cleaned the bathrooms and Abby did all the laundry?" Gibbs asked, a slight smirk pulling at his lips.

"Actually," Abby stepped into the conversation. "I did run two loads of laundry when I got back."

"Didn't have to do that," Gibbs reached out to trace her cheek. "Was just teasing."

"I know, but I also knew Tony would be back to take a shower before long, and we were running low on towels. No big deal." Abby crawled onto Tony's lap so she could be closer to Gibbs. "Plus, the less that needs to get done while when we have time off, the more time we have to snuggle."

"Won't say no to that."

* * *

"C'mon McGee… hard as you can, give it a go…" Tony stood between their desks and flexed his stomach muscles. "One free punch, you can do it…"

"I won't, Tony. Go away."

"Come on, just once."

"No! Ziva will do it."

Tony turned to face Ziva as she approached. "Hey, give me a good one, right in the six-pack."

"Six pack?" Ziva asked. "Once I was drinking with Abby and we had a six-"

"No, six-pack, abs…" he pointed to his stomach. "Give it a go." He flexed again.

"Okay," Ziva agreed easily. She laughed as Tony prepared himself, jumping around and breathing deeply. She was just about to punch him in the stomach when Gibbs came around the corner.

"Grab your gear," he said. "Mental patient escaped."

Tony was about to grab his backpack when Ziva swung around to punch him, pulling back just before she made contact. Tony grunted and cringed until he realized she hadn't punched him, and the grunt turned to a laugh.

"Not bad," Ziva patted his stomach. "Gibbs' are better though."

Tony frowned, grabbing his back pack and following her to the elevator as he asked, "wait, how do you know what his abs feel like?"

It took some time to find Corporal Werth, but Gibbs was confident in his ability to talk him down from his state of aggression. Until McGee tried to cuff him. Gibbs saw it coming but wasn't able to jump out of the way fast enough, Werth sending him back over the table behind him. He cringed as McGee went flying and when Werth's head collided with Tony's. He wasn't surprised that Ziva managed to bring him down, but it hadn't been easy. It took the four of them to wrestle him into cuffs and into the back of the car.

"DiNozzo… you alright?" Tony was leaning back against the car holding a towel to his nose.

"Think so."

"The three of you need to get looked over. Ziva will drive you, I'll take him back."

* * *

As they were all getting ready to leave for the night, Abby approached Ziva's desk hesitantly. "I know I apologized earlier, but… I just wanted to say sorry one more time. I was just freaked out, and I hate seeing you guys injured. Doesn't mean that it's okay to say what I said."

"It is okay, Abby," Ziva smiled. "Apology accepted." She stood and awkwardly reached out to hug Abby. She still wasn't as comfortable with so much physical contact, the way Abby was, but she was learning. "I will see you tomorrow. McGee?" She was driving him home since he had dislocated his shoulder.

Abby waited until they were gone and then perched on the corner of Gibbs' desk. "Can we go soon? I really want to just curl up and…" she glanced back at Tony, his nose bandaged up. Her lower lip caught between her teeth. Lately she felt like they were constantly in danger and she spent most of her time worrying about them or curled up with them worrying about what could have happened.

"Yeah," Gibbs sighed. He still needed to figure out who was behind drugging Corporal Werth, but there wasn't much they could do until morning. "Why don't you give Tony a ride home - I'm headed out shortly."

Abby nodded and slipped off his desk, and in a rare show of intimacy in the squad room she circled his desk to wrap her arms around his neck, pressing her cheek to his for a moment. She didn't say anything, just hugged him and then turned to meet Tony's gaze as he collected his things. "Let me carry your bag," she reached out and took it from him, slinging it over her shoulder.

Gibbs watched them go and turned to see Jen looking down at him, a wistful expression on her face. He watched her for a moment and then turned back to the file on his desk.

* * *

"Does it hurt much?" Abby handed Tony and icepack and sat beside him on the couch.

"Nah, not too bad," he lied, holding the ice gingerly to his nose with one hand, his other arm coming around Abby's shoulders to hold her close.

"Is Gibbs hurt at all? He hasn't said anything."

"Maybe a little sore? He hit the table pretty hard, but managed to roll with it pretty well."

"How about McGee? Just his shoulder, right?"

"Yeah, I've done that before. He'll hurt for a good week or two, but he'll be okay. No lasting damage."

"Ziva?"

"She only took one hit, got the black eye. Was pretty amazing the way she took him down. Think the boss was even impressed."

"Wouldn't have had an issue if McGee hadn't tried to slap cuffs on him so quick," Gibbs grumbled. Once again he'd snuck in without them hearing him. "How's your nose, Tony?" Gibbs bent over him and pulled away the ice pack to take a look. "No bruising, that's good." He cupped Tony's cheek in his hand and kissed the younger man's forehead. "Nurse Abby taking good care of you?" he smirked, leaning over to kiss Abby's cheek as well.

"Of course," Tony grinned. "Was just about to ask the nurse if a blow job was the proper prescription to make me feel better."

Gibbs laughed – one of those rare, unguarded laughs that very few had seen – and returned to the door to hang up his jacket. "Didn't know there was connection between your nose and dick that'd make you feel better."

Tony grabbed a pillow from the end of the sofa and placed it on Abby's lap before resting his head on it. He smiled smugly, not so much because of his comment, but because he loved when he was able to get Gibbs to laugh like that. "No connection, just about feeling good." He closed his eyes as Abby's fingers threaded into his hair, her fingernails scratching lightly over his scalp. "Mmm, this feels good, too."

"We ordered take-out from the diner, yours is in the kitchen. Tony was hungry and ate in the car." They had a regular order at the diner, only had to call in with Gibbs' name and they knew the order would be ready in 20 minutes.

Gibbs nodded and went to grab his food. It had been a long day and suddenly he realized how hungry he was. He found the container with his food and took it out to join his lovers. He sat across from them as he ate, watching as Tony all but purred under Abby's touch. "You gonna ask her to scratch your belly next?"

"I might." Tony's eyes didn't open, but he grinned. "But speaking of stomachs, how does Ziva know your abs are better than mine?"

"Because they are." Gibbs said smugly.

"Abby!" Tony tilted his head back to look at her.

"I'm not getting in the middle of your little spat. I'll take either of your abs any day, I'm not picky." She leaned down for a tender kiss over his bandaged nose. "But you do enjoy the pasta a bit more…"

Gibbs chuckled and winked at Abby.

"You guys are both assholes," Tony whined.

"Assholes you couldn't live without."

* * *

TBC…

Sorry it's taken so long, work has been crazy! More soon!


	29. Chapter 29

Tony was the first to bring up Ducky's behavior, but when Abby came to him with blood results not pertaining to any of their open or recently closed cases, Gibbs started to worry.

"Talk to him, Gibbs, please?" Abby asked, her voice unusually quiet for the fact that they were alone in the elevator together. "He's the closest thing I've got to a father, if something is wrong…"

Gibbs pulled her into a hug. "I'll ask." He was worried as well. Ducky was one of his best friends, their friendship having spanned so many years, tragedies, upturns and team changes. "I'll ask," he repeated, pressing his nose against her hair, her scent comforting him. They arrived back at her lab and Gibbs left her to close up for the night while he went for answers in autopsy.

Palmer was busy chattering away, so Gibbs lied and told him that Abby was looking for him. If he suddenly showed up in her lab and Palmer said that Gibbs had told him she was looking for him, he had no doubt Abby would play along and keep him busy long enough so he could talk to Ducky.

"What's wrong?

Gibbs stared at him a moment longer. "Didn't think we kept secrets from each other." He held Ducky's gaze and watched as Ducky realized what he was referring to. "Abby cares."

Ducky went for his coat. "If she had paid a bit closer attention she would have seen that it wasn't even my blood type. I am in excellent health, thank you."

"Who is it then?"

"You're putting me into a difficult situation, Jethro."

"Only one other person you'd stick your neck out for."

Ducky gathered his keys and looked at Gibbs, but said nothing.

"Is it Jenny?"

Ducky sighed. "Have a good evening, Jethro. Will you reassure Abby or shall I give her a call this evening."

Gibbs waited quietly, hoping Ducky would give in to his original question.

* * *

"Gibbs?" Abby was waiting just inside the door; it was obvious she'd been pacing.

"Been trying to get her to relax, but…" Tony was stretched out along the couch, a worried expression on his face.

"Ducky's alright, should've checked his blood type. Wasn't his blood."

"Oh." Abby relaxed into his hug. "Okay, I was really worried. Did he say who it was?"

Gibbs shook his head. Ducky hadn't confirmed anything, though he suspected it was Jen. He wouldn't betray her confidence and it wasn't his place to spread rumors. "Guessing it's a friend of his," it wasn't a complete lie.

"Would make sense as to why the secrets, but why wouldn't he tell us? I could see why he wouldn't tell the director, but…" Tony shook his head.

"You'd tell us, right? If something were wrong with you?" Abby asked quietly.

Gibbs looked at her sharply. "A bum knee, Abbs. You know that's all I got."

"I know, but… if you ever… I mean, we all get yearly physicals, and just… if Ducky was concerned about something, you'd tell us, wouldn't you?"

"You want my cholesterol number?" He tilted her chin up for a kiss. "Because I can promise it's better than his," he grinned toward Tony. Much to his credit, Tony just rolled his eyes.

"I just want to know you're healthy, both of you." Abby accepted the kiss and then as he moved through to the kitchen for coffee, she joined Tony on the couch, stretching out over him. "More leafy greens for both of you; need you around for a long time."

"Once I had spinach in my pasta sauce. I could try that again." Tony maneuvered them so that he was on top of her, pressing her down against the sofa.

"No!" Abby shrieked as Tony moved her. "That doesn't count! Tony!"

* * *

Abby had been pouting all week. The situation with Jethro the dog had hit her hard – it wasn't often that Abby got so involved with a case. He knew she loved animals, but this was extreme. He had been pleasantly surprised that she had been right about the dog, trusting her gut that he wasn't vicious. During the case, Abby had been distant, and had refrained from her usual hugs. He knew it wasn't punishment – he and Tony were working things by the book, but she seemed distracted. As soon as things were figured out, Gibbs was relieved that the dog would be released to them.

"Abbs…" He found her in the lab, sitting by the dogs kennel. "Got some good news."

"Oh?" She looked up, but didn't move to get up.

"Dog is no longer federal property. Guess you could keep him, if you want."

"I know, I got a call."

Gibbs frowned. He expected her to jump up and dance around – usual Abby antics. "Why look so glum." He'd always had a dog growing up. His place wasn't ideal with the way they all worked, but… he would give it a go if that's what Abby wanted.

"We can't have a dog, you, Tony and I work the most out of everyone. It wouldn't be fair, plus all of our other stuff. My work with Habitat and stuff at the church, Tony and his boys night at the gym..." Suddenly a smile appeared. "McGee!"

"What about McGee?" Gibbs didn't see the connection.

Abby reached out for a hand and let Gibbs pull her to his feet. "When McGee isn't here, he's at home – computer games, writing… he needs a companion. Jethro would be perfect for him!"

"Abby, I don't think…"

"It'll be perfect," she grabbed her phone and dialed McGee. She invited him down and then hung up.

Gibbs wasn't about to hang around and watch how she twisted McGee's arm into keep a dog, but he had no doubt she would succeed. "I'll see you later."

"Can I leave early, McGee is gonna need help picking out dog supplies. If I left it up to him he'd just get basic dog food. An animal like this needs high-quality food, good proteins and-"

"Go ahead. Home for dinner?" Gibbs loved that both Tony and Abby considered his place home. Tony still spent a night or two back at his apartment each week, usually around the time that he would play a pick-up game of basketball. His place was close to the gym, and sometimes a group of them would head back to watch a game on his big screen. He knew that Tony missed the comforts of his more luxurious apartment, but with only one or two nights apart, Gibbs wasn't going to complain. Abby spent the least amount of time at her apartment, and every time he paid attention, more of her stuff had moved over. It wasn't obvious, and none of it was decorations (with the exception of the soft blanket she preferred to snuggle up in on the sofa – that had been the first thing to make it to his place. It was the small things – more of her make-up, nice bath towels, and a few extra kitchen supplies. A few of her books ended up in the book shelf and he laughed when he found a healthy living cookbook in the kitchen. His house was beginning to feel more full, lived in, like it had before. Tony had also brought a few more things, though he hated for his DVD collection to be split, so those were constantly going back and forth between his house and Tony's apartment. One day he planned on moving them in completely – but for now, he was happy that it felt like home.

Abby glanced at her watch. "I should be, but if you guys are hungry and I'm not back, don't wait."

"Okay." She was too bouncy to lean in for a kiss to the cheek, so he squeezed her shoulder and headed out. He passed a guilty looking McGee and for a brief moment felt pity for the man. He didn't have a chance against Abby.

* * *

"Hey guys, mmm… smells good." Abby let herself in and shut the door. It was just before seven and the guys were seated at the table eating. She hung her coat on the coat rack and then paused to slip out of her boots. "Enough for me?"

"We're just getting started, yours is keeping warm in the oven.

Abby hurried to the kitchen to find her plate. Tony had clearly been in the cooking mood – it was his famous fettuccine alfredo with chicken, there was a side salad and roast veggies. "Wow, Tony. Something to celebrate?"

"You convinced McGoo to take in the dog, right? Happy endings should always be celebrated."

"Aww," Abby pressed a kiss to his cheek before sitting down with her food.

"Everything go okay?" Gibbs asked.

"Bonding as we speak," Abby grinned. "First thing he did was curl up on Timmy's couch. I have a feeling they will have no problems at all."

Tony smiled but kept his mouth shut. No sense in using up his quality jokes before McGee could hear them.

"You were right about it not being fair to have a dog here, but maybe someday…" Gibbs suggested.

"Someday," Abby agreed. "But for now," she glanced toward the living room at the medium sized bowl on the shelf, "for now, Goldie will have to do."

Gibbs smiled. Fornell had bought him a goldfish as Emily's insistence so that _uncle Jethro_ wouldn't be lonely. Abby had since taken over the care of this fish, cleaning the bowl weekly and dropping a few flakes in each night. Every so often Gibbs felt like the fish was staring at him, so he'd throw in a few flakes as well. But that was about as much care as he gave it – low maintenance, just like he preferred.

They finished their dinner and Abby offered to clean up. Both men were relieved to see her back to her normal self. Gibbs hoped she'd go back to sleeping in the middle. For the past week Tony had slept in the middle, as Abby had stayed up late to read quietly on her own. While Gibbs loved curling around Tony just as much, he couldn't help but feel like she was keeping them both at bay due to her frustration over their case.

She was elbow deep in suds when Gibbs stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle. "Hey."

"Hey."

Abby continued to wash, but tilted her head enough to give Gibbs easy access to her neck, laughing softly as he nuzzled against her soft skin. "You okay?"

"Hmm? Why wouldn't I be?" She rinsed her hands and turned in the circle of his arms.

Gibbs leaned in for a kiss and then pulled back to look her over. "This week has been hard for you."

"It's hard when no one believes me when I say I know something in my gut. I know you have to follow the rules, but I just felt like no one wanted to listen to me."

"I know, but all the evidence…" it was useless to argue the point now. He had been worried for his agents safety. The situation with McGee could have gone horribly wrong. "It's over now," he added. "And _Jethro_ has a new home."

"With all the belly rubs he could ever want," Abby grinned playfully. "I could rub your belly, too… if you want."

Gibbs was glad to see that her playfulness had returned. "I'm always a good boy."

Abby nodded. "Loyal, smart, friendly… well to me anyway. Can I put a collar on you, too?"

Gibbs eyebrow shot up. "I think we'll stick to belly rubs." He pushed his hands up under her shirt, his fingers wrapping around her waist. "Maybe a few kisses…" he leaned forward and nipped at her chin before kissing her more soundly on the lips.

"So this is where the action is?" Tony was leaning in the doorway. "And here I've been waiting in the living room."

"You mean you've been shouting at the screen?" Gibbs had peeked in to see him worked up over a basketball game.

"Waiting, watching… whatever."

"It's Gibbs, I was trying to do the dishes and he's pounced on me, wants to be my puppy."

Gibbs rolled his eyes, but indulged them by letting them carry on with their playful banter as he ushered them up the stairs. He had already done a circle of the house, checking that the doors were locked and the lights off.

"With a sexy pout like that, you can pick any collar you like," Tony moaned, as Abby manhandled him down to the bed.

Gibbs loved to watch they play. He wasn't as comfortable with the games and silly talk. Once he was naked with them, he was focus and determined to bring them as much pleasure as possible, so he envied the way they were able to joke around. But watching them was a new source of pleasure for him. Normally it was a three-way fight for control, unless someone had been injured. Then it was usually the other two working together to care for the third. But when Tony and Abby got playful, Tony was first on his back, agreeing with pretty much anything Abby said – playing the puppy part beautifully.

Gibbs was so caught up in his thoughts, he didn't realize that they had stopped and were both looking at him.

"Gibbs?"

"Hmm?" He shook himself free of his thoughts and smiled. Abby was straddling Tony; one of his arms was wrapped around her middle, his other elbow propping him up, his face deliciously close to her breasts.

"You joining us, or…" Tony nodded to the obvious erection pressing against his slacks.

"Yeah." Gibbs was quick to shed his clothes, careful to keep an eye on his lovers as they started again. As Tony suckled from one rosy tipped nipple, Gibbs moved behind them to held Abby out of her skirt and thong. Then, once she was naked he pulled her away from Tony and into his own arms, urging Tony to shed the rest of his clothes as well.

Abby was playful and squirmed delightfully in his lap. He was never quite close enough to where he wanted to be, but with a quick flip, that was changed and he was seated deep inside her. Abby twisted and arched below him, adjusting to his size. He nuzzled against her neck and glanced to the side as Tony approached.

"Where do you want me, boss?"

Gibbs opened his mouth to speak, but Abby beat him to it. "I want you, here…" She pushed a second pillow under her head, both raising her up a bit and clearing a spot beside her head.

Tony moved eagerly to kneel beside her and groaned as she took him into her mouth. He reached down and brushed her bangs from her face and smiled despite the fact that her eyes were closed. He then looked to Gibbs and leaned in for a kiss.

They all moved slowly at first – this was one of their ways that the three of them were connected and no one was in a hurry to end things so soon. It was Tony that found himself losing control first. The pleasure he was receiving, combined with the soft grunts from Gibbs and the gentle moans from Abby, had him with a firm grip on the bed frame and on Gibbs shoulder. "God… this is too soon, I can't… I can't…"

"Touch her," Gibbs pulled Tony's hand from his own shoulder and brought it down to Abby's clit. She jumped under the added pleasure and Gibbs knew it wouldn't be long for either of them. He kept up his steady rhythm and watched Tony unfold. Finally Tony bared his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. He let out a low guttural moan as he spilled into Abby's mouth. When he was done he pull himself from her mouth and bent down to kiss her. "Sorry babe, should've given a bit more warning on that."

Her response was to smile and kiss him again.

Stretching out beside his lovers, he kept his fingers over her clit adding a little extra pressure every so often as Gibbs started to speed up his thrusts.

Things happened quickly from there – Abby came quickly, her body tensing and trembling even after Gibbs pulled away. Tony gave her a quick moment to rest and then as Gibbs moved Tony to his front, he worked her clit again, bringing her off a second time.

By the time Abby could open her eyes again, Gibbs had slicked himself with lube and was leaning over Tony's back, easing himself in. Abby rolled closer, kissing Tony's cheek as his arm came out to wrap around her the best he could. He wasn't going to come again, but he loved the connection with Gibbs as the older man chased his own orgasm. And every so often, when Gibbs hit his prostate, it sent waves of pleasure through him.

Gibbs came with a muted growl and then slowly allowed himself to fall forward and rest over Tony's back. Abby grinned at him and reached out to run her fingers through his soft hair.

"C'mere," he croaked, urging her to move close enough so he could kiss her. It had been awhile since they had been able to connect in bed and he was glad things were the way they should be.

A few minutes later, they were all cleaned up and tucked under the blankets. Abby was back in the middle, clinging to Gibbs while Tony clung to her. Gibbs faced them both and with one arm curled under Abby, his other reached out to stretch over both his lovers. "Night," he whispered. He waited for a response, but all he got was the sounds of their breathing – both having fallen asleep the moment they were tucked in.

* * *

TBC

Need to do a little more original writing… need a new timing belt in my car and money for that don't grow on trees!

Hopefully more soon!


	30. Chapter 30

Abby slammed her hands down on the table in front of Ducky. "This is ridiculous. We're prisoners in our own evidence lock-up."

"We're not prisoners," Ziva tried to sooth.

Tony glanced over at the FBI agent watching them. "We're evidence, so we're locked up."

"Well why are we being guarded then? I mean, we are being guarded, right?" She turned to glare at the agent. "You are being very guarded about whether or not we're being guarded."

Tony wrapped an arm around her shoulders as an offer of comfort.

"Relax," McGee said. "I'm sure you're not a suspect."

"Then who is the suspect?"

"It would seem as if the FBI isn't ready to walk anyone out in handcuffs yet." No one wanted to comment that Gibbs wasn't locked up with them.

Ziva nodded. "They are trying to keep it quiet."

Tony rolled his eyes. "They don't even know what they're looking for."

"Are we supposed to hand them their first clue, or…?"

"Not us, Gibbs."

* * *

Abby didn't like the way Fornell was looking at her as he approached. Tony straightened, but Fornell soon made it clear that he was ready to talk to Abby. She looked to Tony, her eyes wide. She'd never been interrogated before. Except for that one time when Gibbs faux-interrogated her about having ate the last cookie. He had been certain it had been her (since she had been the only one home), when in reality she had only moved it while cleaning up the kitchen. They had gone round after round at the kitchen table, ending with her being bent over it while he fucked her until he could hardly move. He had told her he was impressed with her sticking to her story that she hadn't eaten it. When she gracefully moved to the bread drawer so show him where it was, his eyes had gone wide. He'd never had a _suspect_ remain so cool.

She wasn't TOO concerned.

"Gibbs gave you a mission and everyone's counting on you. Now do what you do best."

"Dance?"

Tony smothered a grin. "Talk."

* * *

"Abby…" Fornell started, but stopped as she held her finger up and took a long sip of the Caf-Pow she had demanded before they reached the interrogation room. The FBI had nothing on her, she knew she held power in that and made her demands. "I've gone over your results in regard to the case in question."

"There's a problem with your theory of the crime. A big hole, I could drive a truck through. Maybe not a truck because I was never that good with a double clutch, but a truck driver could just…" she gestured to show what she meant. She knew she was getting to a point where she could stop herself, so she just let herself continue to talk. Talking circles around herself, she could see the growing frustration on Fornells face – every time he tried to break in she had another point she was trying to make. Eventually he cut her off.

"You care to share what _exactly_ you mean?"

"It's obvious," she said, "you think there's a murderer here right underneath Gibbs' nose and whatever took place took place without Gibbs knowing."

"And that could never happen?"

Abby sighed and then leaned forward across the table. "I'm going to share a secret with you, a theory I've been working on off the books." She scanned the room to make sure they were really alone. "The man is magic, like dark magic. He has eyes and ears everywhere. He appears like a mist. Whenever I get a clue he just materializes."

Fornell leaned forward. "Maybe he just bugged your lab."

"No," Abby laughed. "I checked."

"What's that like, it sounds aggravating."

"No."

"Does Gibbs ever get angry?"

"No," she laughed again. "He only uses his powers for good."

"You sound like a fan."

Abby rolled her eyes. "A crime like that would never happen under Gibbs' nose because he wouldn't allow it."

Fornell had to step out for a moment. He had gone rounds with the most psychotic of killers, but never had he felt so run down after an interrogation. Abby made his head hurt and when he got to the other side of the glass; he could help but growl in frustration at the fact that she seemed happy as could be.

"This interrogation is going nowhere," Assistant Director Vance commented.

"I'm not entirely sure she's all there."

They watched as Abby approached the mirror in an attempt to see through it. "I think I remember something."

Vance leaned over to turn on the intercom. "Is it relevant?"

"Well I ran some fingerprints on a liquor bottle that had been left in the Director's study. The fingerprints came from her father. "It must've come from the CIA or something. I think they might be trying to frame her."

"I think she's much smarter than you give her credit for," Vance glanced at Fornell.

Fornell didn't like that NCIS was getting the best of him. He rolled his eyes as Abby pressed her face against the glass once more.

* * *

Tony knew he was being set up again from the get-go, but at least this time it was fairly easy to recognize that it was a set-up, and he knew he wasn't in any real danger of doing jail time. But when he found out it was Trent that had killed him, he didn't hesitate to punch him, sending him flying in to the filing cabinets. "Hey Trent, he wasn't just an operative, he was somebody's father."

Ziva was just breaking the fight up when Jeanne walked by with an FBI agent.

"Be a man Tony, go talk to her." She nodded to Jeanne. They both needed closure, though she had suspected Tony had long since moved on. He had been happy the past few weeks, more so than she had ever seen him.

"She accused me of murder!"

"Who is the bad guy?" Ziva glanced at Trent. "Be a man. Go tell her what she needs to hear."

He didn't want to admit it, but Ziva was right. He made it to the elevator just in time, slipping his hand between the doors to keep it from closing. "Sorry you got caught up in all of this."

"Was any of it real? Any of it?"

He could say that it was. He did have feelings for her, but he knew he had only opened himself up to those feelings to try and snuff out what he felt for Abby and the pain of losing Gibbs. "No."

"I wish I'd never met you."

He hated to see the pain in her eyes, knowing that he caused it. He hadn't seen Abby when he'd been pushing her away and all he could see was the same pain reflected back at him as if he were looking at Abby. He hated himself for causing her pain, and there was nothing he could do to make it go away. He'd apologized a million times over, but hurt like that ran deep. He turned away from the elevator and headed for the bathroom to splash cold water over his face.

* * *

Gibbs managed to get both his lovers in the elevator at once. "You go on back to my place; I have a quick errand to run." Both Abby and Tony understood that he had to stop by the Directors. "I won't be long."

"Yeah, okay. I need to swing by my place and pick up some movies that Carol wanted to borrow, so I'll be a bit late as well."

Tony only nodded. "I'll figure out something for dinner."

"Tony, you okay?" Abby reached out to touch his arm. It had been a long day for all of them.

"Just tired."

* * *

Gibbs was surprised to see that Abby's car wasn't parked outside of his house by the time he got home. "Abby not home yet?" Gibbs hung his jacket and found Tony fixing up a salad in the kitchen.

"No," he shook his head.

"Tony?" Gibbs stopped him from chopping a red pepper. "What's going on?"

Tony sighed heavily and leaned forward, bracing his hands on the counter. "I saw Jeanne."

Gibbs nodded. He knew they had brought her in after she had indicated that she had seen Tony at the docks, but he wasn't sure Tony would run into her.

"I really hurt her," Tony looked to the side to meet Gibbs' gaze. "I finally saw how much I truly hurt her and it…" He didn't know how to explain the pain he had seen in her eyes. "But the only thing I could think of was how much _worse_ I had hurt Abby. How can she forgive me for that? How can she lie next to me at night after what I put her through?"

"Because she loves you," Gibbs said softly. He hadn't been sure how Jeanne's appearance would affect the younger man, but he hadn't expected it to bring up emotions about Abby.

"I don't know how she can still trust me, after everything. God, I was such a fool to push her away." He slapped his hand down on the counter, his elbow accidentally knocking the salad bowl upside down in the sink. "Damnit!"

"Easy…" Sometimes Tony was just as bad as Abby when he took hold of an idea and ran with it. He moved closer and pulled Tony into a hug. "What does she tell you each night before bed?" When Tony didn't answer, he continued. "She tells you that she loves you, and she would never lie about that. She's fine now, Tony. We both made mistakes, but we're… we're good now, the three of us."

"I know, I just can't… how could I do that to her?"

It killed Gibbs to see Tony so upset over something he had set into motion by leaving, but he knew Tony wouldn't accept him taking the blame. So instead he hugged the younger man and did his best to remind him that they were all doing okay. Eventually Tony pulled away, scrubbed his hands over his face and then turned to clean up the mess in the sink. He just had the mess cleaned up when they heard the door open, then close and Abby call out.

Gibbs pulled the chicken from the oven and then peeked around the corner.

Abby found her way over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Sorry I took so long, Carol and I got to talking and… you know…" She grinned. She and Carol could talk non-stop if they were left alone. She pressed up on her toes to kiss Tony's cheek, but stopped just before making contact. "Tony?"

He smiled at her in an attempt to deflect her questions, "Carol doing good?"

"Yeah," she frowned, "what's wrong?"

"Hmm?" Tony reached for three plates.

Instead of continuing to question Tony, Abby turned to Gibbs. "What did I miss?"

Gibbs wasn't going to give away all of what Tony had confided in him, but there was no point in trying hiding it all. "Long day, Abbs."

"I know, but-"

"Jeanne was at NCIS today."

"Oh." Abby turned to Tony. "I didn't know, I'm sorry…" She wondered briefly if seeing Jeanne had stirred up old feelings for her.

Tony shook his head. "No, it's okay." He didn't feel the need to share that she had framed him for the murder of her father. He had no doubt that Abby would fly into a rage over that, especially since Chip had already tried framing him for murder. "Let's eat, dinner is ready."

Dinner was subdued, and Tony was all too aware of Abby keeping an eye on him. For as much as he wasn't fond of making small talk, Tony was grateful that Gibbs kept up conversation with Abby, bringing Tony into the conversation occasionally, but still giving him the chance to think things through without making it seem like he was brooding. Afterward, Abby sent Tony up to shower first and then cornered Gibbs in the kitchen. "What aren't you guys telling me? What's wrong with Tony?"

Gibbs sighed. Leave it to Abby to know it was more than just seeing Jeanne. "She brought up some old memories. She really loved him, and seeing the pain in her eyes reminded him of how he hurt you."

"But we've gone over-"

Gibbs shook his head. "I know, but I guess today was a pretty clear reminder. I'm sure he'll be fine, just give him some room to think." Despite the reason, the pout the crept across her face was something Gibbs could never resist. So he opened his arms and welcomed her into a warm hug.

"Love you," she mumbled against his chest before pushing him away. "I'll tidy up here, go on…"

By the time Tony was back downstairs, he was in a much better mood. The hot shower had given him a chance to think, both about Jeanne and about what Gibbs had said. Abby was bent over her laptop at the table, a collection of files open around her and Gibbs was sprawled out on the couch, watching the news.

"Whatcha doing?"

Abby glanced up with a smile. "Oh, just reading this report for a friend. She had some hinky results with one of her machines, so just making sure that nothing has fallen through the cracks."

Tony nodded. "Hey, you uh… you think we could talk real quick, you and I?"

"Of course," a frown clouded her face, "you okay?"

Tony took her by the hand and led her out the back door to sit on the bench Gibbs had on the deck. "I'm fine. I was just reminded today at how much I hurt you and I wanted to say sorry again, and that I can't even express how happy I am that we've been able to make things work."

"Tony-"

"No, let me finish. I haven't been this happy in a long, long time. In fact, when it comes to relationships, I don't think _anything_ has made me happier. I can feel it, this will work. Nothing will tear us apart."

He looked tired, but happy, and despite her not liking that he was thinking about the past again, she was glad to see that he had come to that conclusion on his own. "Good." She reached up to cup his cheek in her hand. "There are three of us in this relationship, which means that there is an extra person to help keep us together if times get tough."

"So far, seems like that person is you."

"I'll do what I've gotta do." Abby smiled and shrugged. "And thank you, for opening up to me. As much as you like to talk, you sometimes clam up like Gibbs does, so I appreciate it." She leaned in for a gentle kiss and then stood. "Let's go snuggle up to the boss. He was stretched out on the sofa like he owns the damn place."

Tony grinned and followed in behind her. He watched for the hall as she kicked off her boots and climbed over Gibbs, making herself comfy on top of him, ignoring the grunts of protests as she leaned a bit too much of her weight on to her pointy elbows. Once she was settled, and looked comfortable, Gibbs went back to focusing on the news. With stealth learned from the boss, Tony tip-toed over and then lowered himself on top of the pile.

Gibbs groaned under the weight of his two lovers. He tried to get comfortable, but his patience didn't last long. He eventually managed to pull himself out from under the pile – both Tony and Abby working against him. He rolled his eyes at their innocent grins and then with a slight tilt of his chin, he headed for the basement.

While over the past several years, his basement had been a place of sanctuary, now he found himself being practical about it and getting work done. Occasionally he still needed a place to escape and think, but now he went with the purpose to build and repair things rather than use it as a way to get away. No longer did Tony and Abby worry that they pushed him away, or that he was upset. He glanced back at them as they made themselves comfortable on the sofa. They were curled together, but arguing over what to watch. At times they were childish, their behavior sometimes leading to an exasperated sigh as he felt more like a parent again, rather than a lover. But their games were short lived, as it didn't take much more than a sexy pout before Abby got her way (usually with the promise of a blowjob during the next basketball game Tony wanted to watch) and they settled again. He had his basement and they had their movies. He occasionally settled in to watch a movie with them. They were courteous enough to pick something he would somewhat enjoy – usually something historical or military related. Abby saved her girly movies for when he was working late or already in the basement, and Tony kept his James Bond quotes to a very minimum if he ended up sucked in to watching one of those.

Heading down the steps, Gibbs refocused on his projects. There were a few things for the backyard that he needed to fix. He'd promised one of the neighbors a new window planter and he needed to check on a picture frame he was gluing for Abby. An agent from another team had knocked it to the floor of her lap on accident and the joint had come apart.

* * *

TBC…

I will *try* to get another chapter up before Wednesday as that is the day the very lovely/wonderful/famous Chirugal (if you don't know her Gabby fics... whoo-boy, you're missin' out) comes to visit me for two weeks. Rumor has it, she'd LOVE some notes in her inbox about updating Cut & Run… so everyone should run to her profile and encourage her to work on it while she's in the US!


	31. Chapter 31

Chirugal left yesterday (sadface), but at least I got her to update another chapter of my very favorite fic, Cut & Run. I even met her at the airport with a big sign that said 'Cut & Run?'—but please, keep pestering her for more. The more she updates, the more I will, lol. Okay, I'll update anyway, but…

So now that life is semi-back to normal… have chapter.

* * *

"You're not going to let Tony go, are you? I mean, it's Afghanistan, a war zone." Abby leaned against Gibbs' chest, wrapping her arms around his middle. "It's not like you'd be there to rescue him. Wait, you're not going, are you?"

"I'm not," he shook his head. "And it's not my decision. I can't stop him from going."

"Can't you send the FBI or something?"

"Abbs…"

"I know, it's part of the job. It's just hard enough when you're in danger here in the neighborhood, but… the Middle East?"

"Whoever the Assistant Director sends will be okay."

"I know. But I don't have to like it!"

"Neither do I." He leaned in to kiss her softly and then sent the elevator back in motion.

Gibbs knew long before the announcement was made, that Tony would be headed to Afghanistan. There was no way that McGee would be chosen and he just felt it in his gut that Tony would go. Abby was quiet over dinner as the two men discussed the case and what Tony needed to while he was away. Gibbs was shocked that Nikki would be going with, and he didn't quiet have the confidence in her as back up. He was glad they would be with U.S. soldiers, but he wouldn't be able to relax until Tony was home safe again. By the time they were done, Abby was still pushing food around her plate.

"Hey babe…" Tony pulled the fork from her hand and then helped her up, leading her to the sofa. She curled into him and he held her tightly. "We've got to go, and it'll be an incredible experience. We're around trained soldiers and we won't be gone long."

"I know," she smiled weakly. "I just hate that Gibbs won't be around to save you if something happens. Not that I don't think you can handle yourself. I just don't trust everyone else."

"I know," he tilted her face up for a gentle kiss. "I'll come back in one piece and ravish you properly, but until then…" he kissed her again. "I need to go pack, we're flying out tonight."

"You'll call when you arrive?"

"When I can."

"Okay." Abby followed him upstairs to watch him pack as Gibbs tidied up in the kitchen. When he was done, Abby presented him with a packet of wet wipes. "Showers will be few and far between." And then she handed him a bottle of hand sanitizer. "Sometimes Nikki gets a bit annoying, just give her this."

Tony grinned and tucked the stuff into his bag. "This is why I love you, you've always got my best interests in mind."

Once he was ready to go, Gibbs drove him out to the airfield. It would look suspicious if Abby went along as well, so she stayed behind, flipping through an old science journal. Gibbs caught Tony by surprise by pulling over a mile from where he was to drop off DiNozzo. Under the cover of darkness he could easily lean in to kiss Tony goodbye without the worry of someone seeing them. "Number one rule, you come back in one piece, you got it?"

"Yes, boss." Tony grinned before leaning in for another kiss. "Otherwise you'll put me back together and head-slap me to pieces again, right?"

Gibbs only growled.

* * *

The entire case had taken a toll on them. Being separated from Tony had been an added stress while Gibbs worked the case from the US. Abby did as much as she could, but she was distracted without Tony around. McGee tried to cheer her up, telling her it was _only Tony_, but that had earned him a look he hadn't been able to decipher.

Gibbs held her extra close at night as she slept, checking his phone every few hours between cat naps, for any word from Tony. Abby did her best to keep Gibbs fed as almost all his focus was poured into the case, and they both let out a sigh of relief once they had the proof that Rankin had been murdered over the land contract. As soon as their first flight touched down in Frankfurt, Abby let out a sigh of relief. While he wasn't home yet, Gibbs was able to get a good night sleep knowing Tony was safely out of the war zone and on his way home.

Abby offered to pick them up from the airport, but the Director had already arranged for a ride. Abby sat quietly in her lab waiting. She had wanted to wait at Tony's desk, but her non-stop chatter had kept the other agents from getting any work done. If they didn't all finish, they couldn't go home. So Gibbs had sent her back to the lab, promising via sign language that he would make it up to her once they were all home.

"I almost turned around, didn't hear any music so I wasn't sure you were here."

"Tony!" Abby jumped up and threw her arms around his neck. "I've missed you!"

Tony walked her backward until they were in her back office and out of view of the cameras so he could kiss her properly. "Not as much as I missed you. It was hot and sweaty and sticky… and not in the _good_ way." He kissed her again for good measure. "Oh, but I brought you this…" He handed her a chocolate bar.

"It's half gone…" she pointed to the open end with a few bites taken from it.

"I know. We didn't really have time to shop, so I picked it up at the German airport, but then I got a little hungry. But I couldn't come back empty-handed, so…"

"I just want you, that won't leave me empty handed." She grinned at him as she pushed her hands down his chest and over the front of his pants, cupping him through the material of his pants.

"I like the way you think. C'mon, let's go up to the squad room."

"I'm glad he sent you down right away, I've not been able to focus."

"I haven't seen the others yet. Got a text from McGee saying that the boss made you wait here because you were distracting everyone up there. Thought I'd come get you first." He curled his arm around her shoulders and directed her back through the lab.

Abby snuggled gratefully into his side and walked with him. She had a smug look on her face as they rounded the corner from the back elevator. Both Ziva and Gibbs looked surprised, but pleased to see him. McGee smiled, but wasn't shocked to see that he had gone to Abby first.

"Welcome back," Gibbs offered his hand and then stepped back so Ziva could hug him and then McGee could shake his hand. Gibbs eyed Abby with the slightest smirk and he knew she was thrilled that Tony went to the lab first.

"How was it with Nikki?" Ziva asked. She had been disappointed that she hadn't been picked to go with, but she knew she wouldn't have been able to handle all the sanitizer.

Tony shrugged. "Afghanistan is a little more sanitary after her few days there, but it was fine. She had some… personal reasons she wanted to go."

"I'm sure the director will want to talk to you, and then Abby will give you a ride home. We've got a few more hours to wrap things up."

Abby smiled big and watched Tony head up to the director's office. "I'm gonna go grab my stuff!"

With the case officially closed, the Director didn't have many questions, so Tony was ready to leave before long.

As promised, Tony spent much of the evening ravishing Abby's body in every way possible. It had been lonely without his lovers to curl up with and he hadn't slept well, worried that he'd call out for one of them in his sleep. But having his hands on Abby's soft curves was just the right medicine. They started without Gibbs, and by the time the older man finally joined them, Abby had been reduced to a pile of mush. She hadn't even realized he had joined them until she was bent over Tony, pleasuring him with her mouth and Gibbs entered her from behind. She had startled but quickly found the right angle. Gibbs delivered her fourth orgasm of the night and then helped her to curl up beside Tony. As she floated on a cloud of pleasure, Gibbs moved to Tony and finished what Abby started. Once both his lovers were satisfied, he took what he needed and then covered all of them with blankets and drifted off to sleep. Only when he woke the next morning did he realize that he hadn't said a word to either of them the night before.

* * *

Jimmy shook his head, "no… that's not him, that's…

"Dr. Jekyll" Abby nodded and erased the computerized sketch to start over. "We'll figure it out, Jimmy. Gibbs will catch the bad guy, don't worry."

"I can't believe I didn't stop him. I didn't even get a good look, I'm such a-"

Abby felt bad for Jimmy. "You're not an agent, you're not an agent, so you're not trained for that kinda stuff. But you're like a mini-Gibbs. I know you won't give up." She smiled at how happy he looked at the comparison. "But why don't you get some fresh air and let me keep working. Come back if you come up with anything."

Gibbs came to visit her a few times. He knew Jimmy hadn't been lying about what he had seen, but it was frustrating to have so little details. He felt bad that they were getting nowhere – this was Jimmy's Ari and he knew the younger man wouldn't relax while the shooter was on the loose.

"You should offer Jimmy the guest room. He'd feel much safer staying with you."

Gibbs froze at the suggestion. "What about you and Tony?"

"We can stay at my place, it's not a big deal. He's just…" Abby frowned. She had a soft spot for Jimmy and hated to see him feel so useless. He had originally had a tough time meshing with the team, but slowly Tony had warmed to him, and it was though Jimmy was to him what Ducky was to Gibbs. Now the entire team looked fondly upon Jimmy.

"I will if we don't come up with something soon. But I'd much rather have you under my roof than Jimmy."

"I know," Abby took his hand, unable to show much more than that in front of the security cameras. "But he's part of the NCIS family, I don't want him to lie awake all night and worry."

Gibbs nodded. "I know."

* * *

"I wish you could've seen it, I've new respect for the guy," Tony laughed as he pulled Abby in close. "I don't think he'll ever do anything like it again, but you should've seen the look on his face when he crashed the car into the guy." Tony and Abby were already in bed as Gibbs was just double checking he had locked up.

"I was really worried about him," Abby admitted. "He was so freaked out, and…"

"Duck is making him dinner tonight," Gibbs said as he flicked off the overhead light and climbed into bed beside his lovers. "He plans to pour enough wine in him so he can't drive home tonight. He shouldn't be alone."

"I told him I'd take him to lunch tomorrow, that I wanted to hear the whole story. He looked so excited."

Gibbs nodded and clicked off the bedside table. "He's lucky though, today could've ended much differently." In the dark Gibbs reached out to hold both his lovers close. "If I ever tell you to wait behind, it's for a reason." The comment was mostly directed toward Abby, but on occasion he would ask Tony to step back from a situation. He didn't know what he would've done if he lost one of them due to them not listening. Jimmy had been lucky that Gibbs had been there to keep him from getting shot. He didn't know how he would've explained it to Ducky who no doubt saw Jimmy as part of his family. The fact that Ducky had taken him in for the night was as much for Jimmy's sake as it was for Ducky.

Abby turned to snuggle against his chest, kissing him softly. "Love you," she whispered.

* * *

TBC…


	32. Chapter 32

Gibbs knew something would go wrong the moment Jen had told him she was taking Ziva and Tony out to L.A. for Agent Decker's funeral. He couldn't pin-point what was bothering him, but from the moment their flight took off, Gibbs had a hard time focusing. He tried to keep the stress from showing when he was around Abby, but McGee picked up on it easily in the squad room. But it wasn't until he received a late-night phone call from Franks that he knew everything was about to crumble around him.

He had slipped out of bed, reassuring Abby with a kiss and gentle touch, telling her it was work related and he would call her when he knew more. The FBI had graciously flew him to L.A. and from there he rented a car. He had a brief conversation with Tony, relief flooding through his system when Tony reassured him that he was okay. As soon as Tony said that he was fine, Gibbs knew Jen was dead. There was sadness in his voice, a hesitation and a hint of guilt. Had it been Ziva, there would have been anger, rage at losing his partner. But with the Director, Tony knew it would hit Gibbs in the heart.

"_Don't do anything until I'm there. Stay where you are, you hear me?"_

"_I got it, boss."_

Gibbs had assumed Tony would listen, but as he pulled up outside the dusty diner to see Tony and Ziva carrying out evidence boxes, he started to get angry. "What did I tell you, I told you to _stay put._"

"This is _my_ crime scene, Agent Gibbs." Assistant Director Vance stepped out behind Tony and Ziva. He held Gibbs' gaze and then eventually stepped back to let Gibbs in. He gave his version of what he thought happened and together they stared down at the dead director's covered body.

"Something is wrong…" Abby paced in front of McGee's desk. "I can't believe Gibbs would just leave for L.A. like that if nothing was wrong." She'd almost let it slip that he'd left her alone in bed, but managed to stop herself.

"Tony seemed fine when he called to say he was sending a tire print and I could hear Ziva in the background, so… maybe they just got caught up in a case out there and the L.A. office needed their help." McGee knew he wouldn't convince Abby everything was alright when he couldn't even convince himself. He was glad to see Ducky approaching and hoped he'd be better at calming Abby.

Ducky was just about to speak when his cell phone rang. He saw Gibbs' name flash and answered, dread pooling in the pit of his stomach. He turned away and listened. He swallowed hard and then hung up when Gibbs was done. He turned to both Abby and McGee as they stood side-by-side behind him. Abby's eyes were already shining with tears as though she already knew. "Director Shepard," he confirmed. He wrapped her up in a tight hug, allowing her a moment to cry before pulling away. "Come, let's get back to work. We owe it to the director."

Abby nodded and wiped her eyes. "Okay."

* * *

Ducky wasn't sure when Gibbs would be back, but he arrived shortly after the bodies were delivered. He was staring at a file as he stood beside her body when the doors slid open and Gibbs walked in. He stood beside the director, looking down at the body bag debating on looking at her.

"She was dying, Jethro. No doubt this was quick and relatively painless. A much kinder death than she was facing."

Gibbs nodded. He wanted to see her one last time and reached for the zipper, but then decided against it and turned away. He headed to Abby's lab next. Part of him wanted to just lose himself in her body – her warmth and comfort she would no doubt give him. But he needed to wrap this up. She was looking over all the evidence when he walked in. He watched as she looked at the director's bloody clothes. He saw the exact moment that she couldn't hold on anymore and she turned to him, walking into his embrace.

"She was such a nice dresser," Abby sniffed against his chest, "and I never got to tell her." She smoothed out his shirt and picked a piece of lint from his jacket. "So are you, you know that? You're always dressed so nicely… and you," she turned to the rest of the team as they filed in slowly. Complimenting them each as she hugged them tightly, happy to have them all safe in her lab.

They worked quietly, unsure of what to say to one another. But it wasn't until they saw the breaking news story about the Director's townhome going up in flames that they knew the case was over. Whatever Gibbs knew about the case, whatever else was going on, it was all over.

McGee offered to drive Abby home and said nothing when she requested that he drive her to Gibbs' place. Everyone knew that when she needed comfort, she turned to Gibbs. He hoped that she would be able to keep their boss from getting _too _drunk. He would hate for him to miss the Director's funeral the following day. Abby let herself in and waved to McGee as he pulled away. Gibbs wasn't home, but there was a rental car parked across the street, one she didn't recognize.

She started coffee and then waited in the living room, watching out the window for Gibbs to return. When he pulled up an hour later, she was surprised to see Mike Franks get out of the car. The two men headed slowly up the front steps and she wondered if she should retreat upstairs to hide until Franks left. But instead she went to the coffee maker, she could easily pretend that she was there to comfort the boss.

"Abbs?" Gibbs called out wearily as he opened the door.

"In here," she called out from the kitchen.

Gibbs sighed and followed the sound of her voice and the smell of fresh coffee. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist as she poured his coffee. He pressed a warm kiss to her cheek and then took the coffee from her hands.

"Hey little lady," Mike smiled and nodded when she held up a coffee cup to ask if he'd like some. She filled a cup and handed it to him. "Thank you."

"Is it all over?"

The two men shared a glance and nodded. "It's all over."

"So… you're safe?"

Gibbs reached out and wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side. "I'm safe."

Franks busied himself and hid a smile behind his coffee cup, taking a few sips until he could keep from grinning.

"Mike and I have some things to discuss," he leaned in to press a kiss to the side of her head. "Why don't you go on up to bed. I'll be up before long."

Abby stared up at him a moment as it hit her that he had just outed their relationship to his former boss. When he gave her a little nudge she raised her hand and finger-spelled Tony's name.

"It'll be okay. I'll be up soon." He watched her turn and go and then looked to Mike.

"Can't say I really saw that coming…" Mike stepped forward to add a bit more coffee to his cup and then sat down at the small table. "She really isn't someone I'd pick as your type, but in some way… maybe she is?"

Gibbs sat opposite and said nothing, letting Mike talk things out for himself.

"Things had happened between the two of you before you had your little accident and then moved in with me, hadn't they? I could see it in her eyes the way she looked at you in the hospital."

Gibbs shrugged. "It hasn't been easy, but it's worth it." Mike didn't need to know all the details.

"She's one hell of a lady, that's for sure."

Gibbs glared at him, not wanting Mike to think about Abby in a _less than professional_ way. They talked quietly for twenty minutes before Mike got up to leave. "I'm headed home first thing tomorrow, probie. Let's hope the next time I see you it's only a social call."

Gibbs smiled and followed Mike to the door. He watched him leave and then shut the door, locking the main locked, but leaving the deadbolt alone. He wasn't sure if Tony would come over tonight – he knew he'd gone to have a drink with Ziva. He could see the guilt the younger man carried and knew there was nothing he could say to magically make it disappear. Abby was asleep once he made it up stairs and through his night-time routine. He pulled back the covers and his head had just hit the pillow when she turned to moved closer to him, wrapping herself around him in her sleep. He was still feeling uneasy about everything, but there was nothing he could do but lie awake and wait.

* * *

Gibbs hadn't been surprised that Tony had stayed away. When they first caught sight of him at the funeral it was clear he hadn't slept at all. Gibbs arrived with Abby, holding tightly to her hand until they spotted Tony and he urged her to go to him. He was jealous that she could show so much affection out in the open without anyone questioning her. He watched as Tony hugged her tightly, burying his face against her neck and holding her a few long moments before letting go. She then turned to hug Ziva, McGee and Ducky before returning to Gibbs' side, taking Tony by the hand so that he was on her other side.

Tony felt nothing but guilt as they sat through Director Shepard's funeral. While his relationship with her had been strained over the past few months – he no longer trusted her after the incident with Jeanne and her father – he knew that she and Gibbs had always had a special relationship. Even though they hadn't been lovers in years, he knew Gibbs still carried some sort of love for the woman and again, a woman he had loved had been brutally taken away from him. And it was Tony's fault for not staying with her.

Tony hated that the new Director – Director Vance – had called them back to work after the funeral. Tony wanted nothing more than to sit in the basement and watch Gibbs work while Abby curled up in his lap. Abby hadn't been requested back, so Tony kissed her cheek and sent her on her way with Ducky, the older man giving her a ride back to Gibbs' under the pretense that her car was there. They filed quietly into the Director's office, the hairs on the back of Tony's neck standing on end as he realized Vance had already boxed up all of Jenny's personal items and replaced them with his own.

"Agent David," Vance started. "The agreement with the Mossad office for the liaison has been terminated. You are to return home immediately. Agent McGee, you have been reassigned to the cyber-crimes unit and Agent DiNozzo… you are being transferred to the USS Ronald Regan. Your flight leave tomorrow at 0900." Vance looked at Gibbs as he handed him three folders. "Meet your new team."

* * *

"What? No!" Abby jumped up and headed for the door.

Gibbs just managed to get a hand around her wrist to stop her before she got the door open. "It won't be permanent, Vance is planning something." He turned to look at Tony. "It won't be permanent."

"How do you know that, boss? He's sending us all away to prove that _he's_ the boss now."

"I don't know much yet, but there is a mole in NCIS. It's my job to figure it out."

"And Vance thinks it's one of the three on your _new_ team?" Tony spat out, "or is it one of us? Is it because I got the director killed? He thinks it's me?"

Gibbs stared at him until he took a deep breath. "Someone on your new team?"

As soon as he was sure Abby wasn't going to dart, he let go and went to sit beside Tony. "I will figure it out and bring you home as soon as I can, okay?"

"What if you can't? I'll quit. I can't live my life on a boat like that."

"Ship," Gibbs corrected, "but I won't let you stay out there long. I'll figure it out, I promise."

"I could kill Vance," Abby said calmly, no hint of a smile to indicate she was joking. "No one would figure it out. I heard being the director can be pretty stressful, not out of the blue to have a heart attack."

"Abby…" Gibbs warned.

"What, you think I'm joking?"

Gibbs shook his head. "No, and that's what worries me. You let me find the mole and let me bring Tony home."

"Everyone," she corrected. "You bring McGee and Ziva back, too. We're all family and I refuse to not be a team anymore."

"Everyone," Gibbs agreed. He pulled Tony in close, pressing his lips to the younger man's. "I won't leave you out there."

Tony nodded and pressed into the kiss.

* * *

TBC…


	33. Chapter 33

Thanks for the wonderful reviews!

* * *

Abby held back as Gibbs' led Tony upstairs, mumbling about finishing up _something_ in the kitchen. She hesitated partly to give them some time alone and partly because she wasn't sure if she could even look at Tony without bursting into tears. It felt like she was losing him all over again and even though it wasn't his decision, she could help but feel the same pain over when he had pushed her away the first time.

She listened as they made their way up the stairs and then turned toward the sink, bracing her hands on the counter. She felt helpless, unable to fight. She wasn't sure how long she was going to give Gibbs to get her team back together, but she wasn't going to wait long. She didn't know Vance well, didn't know how he worked. Director Shepard had been a bit of a push-over… she frowned at the thought of Director Shepard, someone she'd never see again.

But she wasn't going to give up without a fight. If all else failed she could quit. The FBI would gladly pay her twice what NCIS was, then Tony could quit and stay home and Gibbs could retire. She could keep them both safely at home. She frowned again; Gibbs would never go for that idea. Instead she returned to her original plan, going over the various chemicals in her lab – things that could be put together and put an end to Vance without leaving a trace. But he had kids, so she decided she would give Gibbs some time first. Two month, well… three… she assumed there was a lot of paper work that would need to be filed and that alone would take forever, even once Tony was approved to come home.

* * *

Somewhere in the back of Tony's mind it registered that Abby had something to _finish up_ but with Gibbs mouth on his, he didn't think much of it. It wasn't until Gibbs was wrapped around him from behind, grunting in his ear as he fucked him that Tony realized something or _someone _was missing. Usually when Gibbs was wrapped around him from behind, he was usually wrapped around Abby. And when he was on top of Gibbs, riding the older man, Abby was usually right behind him, her arms wrapped around him.

It didn't take long for Gibbs to growl through his release. In some way he regretted that it wasn't the slow, tender love-making that he had planned, but in some way he felt as though he'd needed to give Tony a lasting impression. "No one else will touch you while you're away. _This,_" he made a point of bumping his hips against Tony's, "belongs to Abby and I."

"Abby…"

Gibbs pulled out slowly, frowning at the lack of contact. "Go get her." He rolled onto his back and watched as Tony got up. The younger man was still achingly hard and he wanted nothing more than to bring him off, but he'd leave that to Abby. Abby would no doubt need the slowly love-making that Gibbs had originally planned. He would be right there beside them, reassuring them both that he loved them and would do anything necessary to have them both home where they belong.

Tony padded down the stairs barefoot, not bothering to cover himself. He saw her standing over the sink, her shoulders tense, her knuckles nearly white from the pressure in which she was grabbing the counter. "Abbs…"

Her head dropped forward. "I can't lose you, Tony. Not again."

"You're not losing me," he wrapped his arms around her from behind. "This isn't permanent, Gibbs will fix it, you'll see."

"But you're going away, living out on the ocean. I can't-"

Tony turned her. "It sucks, and I'm angry, but there isn't anything we can do _right now_. So I'd like to spend my last night on solid ground snuggled up with you and the boss. And right now, I _really_ need you," he thrust against her and groaned. Despite the seriousness of the situation overall, he was still rock hard.

"Okay," Abby nodded and let him lead her by the hand back up to Gibbs room.

* * *

Abby managed to keep her emotions in check until Tony was on his way to his flight. Gibbs volunteered to drive him. Abby had wanted to go, but Ziva needed a ride to the airport as well and she wasn't sure she would have been able to let him go. He'd dropped his apartment keys in her hand before he left – she was in charge of organizing what stuff would be stored at Gibbs and the rest would go to her place. Most of the furniture he didn't want to keep, that stuff she could donate, but a few pieces he'd pointed out as stuff he wanted to keep.

She allowed herself to curl up on Gibbs' couch with Tony's Ohio State sweatshirt that he'd left for her. She cried for a while and then headed up for a shower and then went to pick up Ziva.

"We'll bring you home soon," Abby promised as she hugged her friend one last time. "Gibbs is working on it."

"I know. I will miss you, Abby. You have become a wonderful friend to me and I appreciate it."

Abby's chin quivered, but she managed to keep herself from crying. "I know you're the toughest chick I know, but take care of yourself over there, okay?"

She saw McGee in the parking lot as they arrived to work at the same time. It took her a moment to remember he wasn't on the team any longer either, but when he headed for a different building, she felt her blood start to boil.

Gibbs was in the squad room already, glaring at his new agents as they bumbled about, unsure of what to do. Vance was watching the scene from the railing above. Eventually he made eye contact with Abby and she glared at him, holding his gaze until Gibbs stepped up to her and offered a hug. It was rare for him to initiate anything in front of anyone at work, but Vance was glad for the distraction so he could slip back into his office. He hadn't wanted to split up the best team NCIS had ever seen, but so long as he reminded himself that it wasn't permanent, he didn't feel too bad - though the look of death from the forensic scientist dressed in all black was a bit worrisome.

* * *

"Come here…" Gibbs pulled Abby into his arms as soon as they were home, one hand holding her close, the other moving under her skirt.

"Gibbs… I'm not in the mood," she started to pull away. She was angry. Not at him, not really. She knew he was doing the best he could with the shakeup of power in NCIS, but she couldn't understand why he couldn't fix it.

Gibbs kept her close and maneuvered her up the stairs. She resisted at first, but his insistent lips had her moving with him before. He knew he was going to pay for it the next days, but for nearly an hour they fought their emotions and let go of their anger in bed. By the time they were both sated and exhausted, Gibbs' back was covered in scratches. Abby's pale skin was covered in bruises and marks where he'd bitten her – not enough to break the skin, just enough to leave his mark.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, pulling her in close. He'd never lost control that way before and they were both going to be sore for a few days.

"It's not your fault that Vance sent everyone away."

"Wasn't what I was talking about," he traced a finger over a red mark on her breast.

"I know," she turned toward him and snuggled against his chest. "Just promise that we'll be okay, that we'll get Tony back and that the three of us won't be apart like this again."

"Promise."

**Two months later.**

"You got another one…" Gibbs held out a thick envelope to Abby as he passed her at the dining room table. She was reading over some blood results that Ducky was unsure about, but dropped the papers and took the envelope gratefully.

"You busy?"

Gibbs leaned in to kiss her and then moved away. "Promised Fornell I'd swing by, he's having trouble with a case."

"Oh," she pouted.

"Have fun, you can read it to me later."

"Should I wait?"

"Nah," he shook his head. He grabbed his keys and kissed her again. "I'll be a few hours, but then I'll be home."

"Okay!"

"Lock up behind-"

"I know." She smiled and hugged the letter to her chest. She had been staying permanently at Gibbs' place ever since Tony had left. While she had been organizing the stuff Tony wanted to save over at her place, Gibbs suggested taking more of her stuff over to his place. He hadn't made a huge deal about it, but she had watched him as he'd made more space for her in the closet and moved a few things to the attic so she'd feel more at home.

He'd done it all with a smile.

As soon as the door was locked, Abby hurried up the stairs to their bed and kicked off her boots before making herself comfortable. She tore into the envelope and pulled out a postcard first. It was a standard postcard from one of the islands they had stopped at. There was a basic greeting for Gibbs, she was told to tell McGee hello and there was a comment on the weather. She set the postcard aside; she would bring it to work the next day to add to her collection. Next she pulled out a letter written on lined paper. They all started the same.

_Hey baby…_

She smiled at the familiar greeting. If she closed her eyes and tried hard enough she could hear him say it himself. She received a letter from him almost weekly. They started off talking about what he'd been doing the past few days, confirm how much he missed them, and then went into what he'd do to her as soon as he was home again.

_I can't wait to taste you again. I'm going to make you come so many times with my tongue, you won't even remember my name to call out as I fuck you._

She buried her fingers between her thighs as she read his letter over and over.

… _before I bend you over the table and take you right there. So many places in Gibbs house we haven't tried yet. I'm making a list, be ready._

She came hard the third time she read it through. She wanted to write back and tell him about all the naughty things he made her do while reading his letters, but he had warned her that the incoming mail was censored and that he only sent these particular letters from shore so no one else could read them. So while her replies were flirty, they were relatively PG rated. When she was done she folded it neatly and put it in the nightstand drawer she considered hers. Technically it had been Tony's as she was usually in the middle, so the letters were stacked next to his collection of condoms and lube.

After a quick shower she crawled back into bed. She loved tracing over the way he signed his name and the little hearts he scribbled along the sides of the paper. The first time Gibbs had seen a letter, he'd rolled his eyes at all the little drawings and doodles, but as soon as he saw Abby trace over them with her finger, he understood why Tony did it. She was in the middle of reading the letter one last time when Gibbs arrived. "He's got a list of all the places in your house where he wants to fuck me," she sighed sadly. "You've got to get him home soon."

He sat on the edge of the bed and untied his shoes. "I know, I'm workin' on it."

"I know," she nodded. She watched him strip to his boxers and reach for the sheets. "You won't need those," she smiled, glancing down to his boxers as she waved the letter in the air.

"Oh really?"

"Oh… _really_." She grinned as he took half a step back and pushed the material to his feet and then kicked it away. "Think we could make a sex tape and send it to him? I know then sensor mail, but… would they watch a dvd or I could even put it on a USB-" She was silenced with a sweep of his thumb over her lips and a stern look.

"No sex tape." While he had to admit, the idea of watching it afterward would be fun, he wasn't going to risk that ending up in the wrong hands.

Abby pouted briefly, but nodded. "I'll think of something…"

"I'll probably say no." He reached for the letter, leaning in to kiss the tip of her nose as he did. "Let's see what this has to say."

Even though the letters were directed to Abby, they were for the both of them to read. Sometimes Gibbs read them to her while she touched herself, and other times he made her read the letter aloud while he buried his face between her thighs. He tugged Abby in close, wrapping an arm around her as he read. He was half hard before he got to the end of the first paragraph. He licked his lips as he continued to read and was so focused on the letter, he didn't notice that Abby had pulled away until she was straddling him and he was buried deep inside of her.

"DiNozzo should quit NCIS and write for a living," he groaned and reached out to wrap a hand around her hip to keep her steady.

"He could ask McGee for tips on publishing," Abby giggled and rolled her hips against his. Gibbs lowered the letter to scowl at the mention of McGee while they were in bed together. "I was only kidding. Read to me."

"My first night back, whenever that is," Gibbs cleared his throat, trying to ignore the flash of guilt at not having the younger man home yet. "I'm going to fuck you so hard, you'll see stars. Then I'm going to kiss you and pet you until you've recovered so that I can do it again, all while the boss fucks me."

"And then what?" Abby lowered herself to rest over Gibbs' chest, slowly rocking her hips as he continued to read.

Gibbs only made it through a few more lines before he had to put the letter down. He flipped her over with practiced ease and took control. He didn't last long, eventually using his fingers to help her toward her second orgasm of the night. Only once they were settled for bed did he finish up the letter before handing it back to Abby to store in the nightstand drawer.

* * *

Things had been rough at work and everyone knew that Abby wasn't happy. She gave her results as usual, but Gibbs knew something else was up. "What else?"

She stared at him and sighed. "A number," she handed him a post-it with a number and a sad face.

"1-2-6?"

"One hundred and twenty six: that is the number of days that Tony, Ziva and McGee have been gone. I really didn't think you would let it get into triple digits Gibbs, but now its way more. It's like a third of a whole year. I miss them."

"You had lunch with Tim yesterday."

Abby rolled her eyes. "It's not the same. I miss them collectively, as in a group, my three musketeers. Tim is the only one I've seen. No Tony, no Ziva. I get… _postcards_ from Tony. I want them back," she leaned in to hug him. "We need him home," she whispered. "Please get them back. You have 10 days. Ok, I don't want to pressure you, so 12. But no more than two weeks, okay?"

Gibbs leaned in to kiss her cheek but said nothing. It pained him to not be able to make her happy.

* * *

He had doubts about Langer being the mole, but he had two-thirds of his team back so now he could pour his focus into getting Tony home. It had been reassuring to see him, even if it was just over the screen in MTAC. He felt bad that Abby couldn't be there and had spent half the evening answering all her questions – had Tony had a haircut? Did he look good? Did he look healthy? Were there dark circles under his eyes?

He watched Abby bounce happily, one arm around Ziva as she ushered them all toward the elevator. They weren't celebrating the reunification of the team – not yet, not until Tony was home, but having two of her friends back where they belonged deserved a few drinks. Gibbs was reluctant to join them, but he knew Abby would likely drink too much to be able to drive home safely and he didn't want her to catch a cab. Ziva was spending the night at McGee's place until she had her own place again, so he wasn't worried about them catching a cab together.

He watched closely as Abby interacted with her friends. There was still a sadness in her eyes as she chatted happily with them. And every so often she caught his eyes, smiling softly as if to thank him for bringing them home, but that he couldn't be done yet. There was still one piece to the puzzle missing.

* * *

TBC…


	34. Chapter 34

From the moment Abby found out that Gibbs had spoken to Tony, she knew he would be home soon. She just knew it. The team was out with a case, so she grabbed the box of Tony's belongings and carried up to the squad room, replacing everything the way it had been before he left. Staring at the might-mouse stapler she moved it half an inch and was satisfied everything was back the way it should be. She popped into the bathroom real quick and as she came back out she heard that Gibbs was on his way to MTAC to talk to Tony.

"Can I…?"

"Sorry Abbs," he frowned. She hadn't been given clearance to go in and he didn't have time to go through the proper channels to get her in.

Her brow furrowed but she nodded. "Can you tell him that Sister Rosita bowled a 260 last month? And that I finally saw Titanic… it sinks in the end, weird. And-"

"It's not a social call. But I'll tell him you say hello."

* * *

Tony was irritated. He was suddenly running the investigation on his own with no end in sight. He was upset, angry and jealous that McGee and Ziva had been able to go home, but he was still stuck out at sea. Spending a few days on dry land in Columbia was a blessing even though he was still working on the case. He called McGee and before he could say anything about the case, he needed to vent. He thought about calling Gibbs, but when Gibbs was wrapped up in a case, he didn't have time to listen to his complaining. He debated calling Abby, but he figured he'd save that call for when he was alone back in his hotel room – he hoped he could catch them when they were home and in bed. It wasn't perfect, but phone sex was the closest he was going to get for the unforeseeable future. "… and then Vance put me on this fucking boat…." He knew as soon as it was out, and the way McGee was silence that Vance was listening in. He sighed and waited for someone to say something.

"We need the autopsy report from the Cartagena M.E." Vance said, referring to LT Evans.

He wasn't motivated in the slightest to apologize. "That might take some time. The M.E. doesn't like Americans. Or maybe it's just me."

McGee laughed. "Probably just you. But Gibbs and Ziva flew out last night. They should be able to help."

Tony lit up instantly. "They did? When will they be here?"

"Right now." A familiar gruff voice sounded behind him.

Tony spun around to see Gibbs and Ziva standing behind him. "Boss!" Tony pulled Gibbs into a hug, making it as manly as possible before turning to hug Ziva. "Oh man, I've missed you guys. You've missed me, right?"

Gibbs glanced at him sideways and took the phone from his hand to talk to Vance.

"You look older," Ziva commented quietly.

Tony smiled and nodded. "So do you, four months is a long time." Four months of guilt over the fact that they hadn't stayed with her to keep her safe.

"It is. You still feel guilty about Jenny?" She knew the answer, but found herself asking anyway.

"Yes," he shrugged. "But not as much as before."

"Still drinking?"

"Not as much as before."

"Same." She was about to comment on the situation but suddenly Gibbs hung up and was by Tony's side. She didn't fail to notice just how close Gibbs was standing, almost in a protective manner of the younger man.

Together the three of them headed back to the ME's office. Once they were back in the rental, Tony seemed to relax again. Once they arrived, Tony suggested that Ziva handle the ME while Gibbs and Tony looked over the body. They kept things professional as they looked over the Lt. Tony was about to finally say something to Gibbs when Ziva appeared again, a smug smile on her face as she held the autopsy report in her hand.

The case kept them busy and it killed Tony to not be able to have a few quiet moments alone with Gibbs. When Ziva announced that she was headed to the communications room to try and contact McGee, Tony was relieved. "Boss…" he caught Gibbs' sleeve and pulled him into the tiny room Tony had to himself. As soon as the door was shut and locked, Tony pressed Gibbs up against the door and kissed him hard. "Please tell me I can come home soon, I've missed you more than you…" he kissed him again and tugged at the older man's belt, "more than you'll ever know, and Abby… I need to see her, I need-" As soon as Gibbs belt was undone, Tony was on his knees, his lips wrapped around Gibbs.

Gibbs let his head hit the door with a thud, his eyes lidded at the familiar feel of Tony's mouth. "Soon," he grunted. "I'll get you home soon."

Tony worked him to the brink and then pulled away. "I don't have lube, but lotion… lotion should work." He grabbed it from a drawer and tossed it to Gibbs before dropping his jeans and boxers and bracing himself against the small dresser.

Gibbs wasted no time and prepped the younger man as fast as he could without hurting him. He clung to Tony as soon as he was snuggly inside, the familiar heat of Tony's body putting his mind at ease. It wasn't exactly the love-making that Gibbs missed, but it was a brief chance for them to reconnect and Gibbs would take what he could get.

As soon as they were both done, they cleaned up and Tony turned to lean against Gibbs. "How's Abby?" He missed her gentle curves and soft skin.

Gibbs nuzzled against his cheek. "She misses you. Wish I had a reason to give her access to the ship. She asked me to give you this. No time to read it now." Gibbs fished a folded piece of paper from his pocket.

Tony held it to his nose and smiled. Abby had spritzed it with her perfume before she'd written it. "I can't wait."

* * *

It wasn't the end goal, but letting Tony accompany the prisoner home was the best he could do from the ship. It would at least give Abby and Tony the chance to see each other, and allow the three of them to spend a night or two in the same bed. Tony had jumped up and ran to pack up his few belongings – both of them had hoped it would be a permanent ride home.

He glared at Vance as they stood toe-to-toe talking about Tony's future. As much as Vance tried to explain that sending DiNozzo away _wasn't_ a form of punishment, Gibbs didn't believe him. He turned on his heel - needed a chance to think before he said something he'd regret.

* * *

Tony never had the wind knocked out of him as hard as when he stepped out of the elevator and into the squad room and found himself with an armful of Abby.

"Tony!"

Her high-pitched squeal had all of them covering their ears, but Tony just wrapped his arms around her, buried his nose against her hair and breathed in deep. "Love you, baby," he whispered so only she could hear it.

"Love you too," she whispered back and then pulled away enough to meet his gaze. "Are you home for good?"

Tony grinned. "Sure am! Vance signed off on it already. Effective immediately."

Gibbs glanced up to see Vance watching them with a smug look on his face. No doubt Vance had enjoyed making him sweat thinking Tony would be sent back to his position as agent afloat. He rolled his eyes and returned his focus to his team.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you. I've had all your postcards and the pictures you sent on the wall in my quarters." Tony held her out so he could look her over and then pulled McGee into a manly hug so that he didn't pull Abby in for the kiss of a life-time. "McProbie!" He hugged Ziva next and then was surprised to see Gibbs' hand out.

"Welcome back, DiNozzo."

"Good to be back, boss." He couldn't contain his wide smile.

"Anthony, my boy!" Ducky rounded the corner, "so good to have you back where you belong."

"Aww, thanks Ducky. Glad to be back on solid ground."

"We going for drinks?" McGee asked hopefully.

"Nah, not tonight. I'm exhausted and my legs feel like I'm still on the ship. I could use a hot shower, a beer and a long, uninterrupted night's sleep." He lied. He planned on waking every few hours to get his fill of his lovers.

"Yeah, okay. Understandable." McGee nodded. "But soon, right? Lots to catch up on."

"Of course, probster."

"You can stay at my place until you get a new apartment. Everyone else, go home. It's been a long few days." Gibbs moved behind his desk to grab his things. On the way toward the elevator he passed by Abby and leaned and whispered to her before kissing her cheek. "Drive safely. See you at home."

Abby gave a little nod and then rushed forward to hug Tony one more time, this time pressing her lips to his cheek leaving a bright red mark from her lipstick. She pulled away with a little smile. "Looks good, lover-boy."

Both Ziva and McGee laughed as they followed Gibbs to the elevator. Tony hurried to catch up and Abby headed for the back elevator to gather her things.

* * *

Tony sighed happily as he stepped inside Gibbs' house for the first time in months. "I missed this place." He turned when Gibbs' shut the door and smiled when Gibbs took two steps forward and pulled him into a kiss. "Mmm, missed you even more."

"We missed you, never intended to let you be out at sea for so long. I should've tried harder."

"It's okay. I'm back now, it's all that matters."

Gibbs smirked and patted his ass as he side stepped past him. "I'll order a pizza. Your favorite beer is in the fridge."

Once the pizza order had been placed they sat on the couch so Tony could flip channels while they waited for Abby. They didn't keep watch on the time, but when they heard a car pull up, Tony was out of his seat and hovering in front of the front door, ready to grab his woman and kiss her senseless. But when the doorbell rang, Tony frowned and opened the door. He stared at the pizza man a moment before shoving some cash at him and taking the box. He closed the door and turned to Gibbs. "What time is it? How did the pizza beat Abby, I thought she was right behind us?" He set the pizza down and looked at his watch. "We've been home forty minutes! Where the hell is she?"

Gibbs frowned. Abby had been bouncing around the past 24 hours waiting for DiNozzo to get back. She had called Gibbs eight times while he was on the ship to make sure that she would really get to see Tony. She'd cleaned the house top to bottom, changed the sheets to Tony's favorite and even made sure to wear the kind of thong he appreciated most. "Give her ten more minutes, then call. She may have gotten caught up with something in the lab."

Tony pulled back the curtain to peer out the front window and began to pace. "What if something- no, nothing happened. I would feel it if something bad happened, wouldn't I?"

"She's okay," Gibbs said confidently. He would feel it in his gut if something had happened, right? He liked to believe that's why he'd gone to the evidence garage that day when she had been stuck in Otto.

Just as Tony was ready to give up and call, the door swung open and Abby rushed in. She dropped her bag inside the door, kicked it closed and threw herself at Tony, wrapping her legs around his waist when he lifted her.

Gibbs was surprised at how quiet she was until Tony turned slightly. Although her face was mostly buried against Tony's neck, he felt a lump in his throat when he realized she was crying. "Wasn't as soon as I'd hoped, but I promised I'd get him back." Gibbs moved in close to kiss her forehead and then Tony's temple.

"I know," she sniffled, "thank you."

"What took you so long, I thought you were right behind us?" Gibbs went to lock the door and then leaned back against it to look at her.

She pulled away from Tony when her toes touched the floor, but intertwined her fingers with his. "I got a flat tire."

Gibbs looked concerned. "You should've called."

"It's okay. I had it changed by the time you would've made it out to me. I just need to swing by the tire place tomorrow to have it looked at. Might be time for a new one."

"Let me look at you," Tony interrupted and then indicated she should spin around. "God, you're fucking beautiful." He used his thumbs to wipe away the tears on her cheeks and then pressed a gentle kiss to the tip of her nose.

Abby blushed as she spun around and then leaned against his chest, wrapping her arms around him.

"Come on, big guy. You know you want in on the lovin'," Tony invited Gibbs to join the hug and suddenly Abby found herself squished between her two guys. Just as he opened his mouth to speak again, his stomach rumbled. "Okay, as much as I love the love-fest, I'm hungry, and I haven't had good pizza in…. I can't even remember." He moved to the sofa and pulled Abby onto his lap as she reached for the pizza. Abby laughed and guided the slice to his mouth, taking a bite for herself as he chewed.

Gibbs watched with a smile as his two lovers bantered back and forth. He wanted nothing more than to drag them up to bed, but he knew that they needed their moment together to unwind. It hadn't been much, but seeing Tony for a few days in Colombia, had given him a chance to reconnect with Tony. Abby needed that now.

"Remind me again," Tony finished off the slice of pizza and wrapped both arms around Abby. "How much did you miss me?"

Abby snuggled in close. "More than my weekly postcards could ever express."

"Oh yeah?" Tony ran a warm hand up and down her thigh, smiling when her eyes fell shut and she all but purred at his touch. "Did you like the postcards I sent you?"

"Mmhmm."

"Just wait until you see her lab," Gibbs interrupted. "All the postcards that were decent she has in her lab. The rest of them are upstairs."

Tony stroked a little higher on her thigh and smiled. "You mean you didn't post the letters, the ones where I wrote about what exactly I wanted to do to you, at work? Too bad, would've given the janitors something to make their night shift a little more enjoyable."

"For our eyes only, Tony," she chided as she reached out for Gibbs' hand, lacing her fingers with his.

"Like I told you in Colombia, she really missed you." Gibbs leaned forward and nuzzled the back of Tony's neck.

"I can tell," he slipped his hand all the way between her thighs, his fingers dancing over the bit of lace keeping him from what he wanted. He grinned when her thighs parted automatically and he shifted her so that she could keep her arm around his neck, but lean back a bit on the arm of the couch. "My favorite thong," he laughed. "Someone thought they'd be getting lucky tonight."

"Tony," Abby moaned. "We don't have to do anything you aren't up to. But if you just want to relax, you need to remove your fingers… _now_."

"Oh no, we're doing plenty tonight. I went _months_ with nothing but my right hand." His hand tightened around the lace and in one well-practiced jerk, he tossed the lace at Gibbs, laughing at the surprised look on Gibbs face, followed by the way his nostrils flared at Abby's scent as it filled his nose. "I'm going to fuck you, hard."

Again she purred and melted against him.

"But first I want to play with you, remind myself of what makes you squirm." He glanced back at Gibbs. "That okay with you?"

Gibbs smiled and leaned in for a kiss. "Your first night back, whatever you want."

* * *

TBC…

Oh I'm sorry, you DIDN'T want the chapter to end there? Oops.


	35. Chapter 35

Pervy smut-hounds, all of you… apparently you didn't like being cut off before they could… _reconnect._

* * *

Tony was trembling between his lovers, his body thoroughly spent. He had come twice, Gibbs and Abby working together to bring him a sense of pleasure he'd never experienced before. It wasn't all receiving though. Abby had come twice before they made it upstairs and then twice more once they were in Gibbs' bed. Now they were focused on Gibbs.

Abby was at the bottom of the pile. Tony, still semi-erect was still nestled comfortably inside her, his arms wrapped around her, clinging to her as though she were a life-raft. Gibbs was behind him, his steady long strokes prolonging Tony's pleasure yet keeping his own release just out of reach. He didn't want it to end, this first true reconnection the three of them had. They were all sticky and sweaty and exhausted, but it was as if Gibbs was worried that once they had all finished, he would wake up to find it had all been a dream.

Gibbs was also weary of squishing Abby under their combined weight.

She reached out to him, lacing her fingers with his. "We're all okay, come for us…" she urged.

He didn't need to be told twice and it was only a few minutes before he was grunting through his own release. He immediately pulled away so he could fall beside them without smothering Abby. He glanced over at them and caught Tony's gaze. The younger man had shuffled down a few inches so his head could rest on Abby's chest. Her arms and legs, still locked around him.

"Perfect," Tony sighed happily, smiling first at Gibbs and then lifting his head to look at Abby as well. "Being here with the both of you."

"Back where you belong," Gibbs took his hand, his body still too heated to want to cuddle close.

"I… I need to find a new apartment, but… can I just stay here? I just want to come home _here_ every night and be with the both of you."

"Wouldn't want it any other way." Gibbs agreed.

"Why do you need an apartment then, isn't that a waste of money? All the stuff you wanted to save it stored safely at my place."

Tony nodded. "But if I don't have a place… it'll look suspicious for all my mail to come here, and to never invite McGee over. Or when I need a place for when my college buddies come over."

"But still…"

"Won't be forever, Abbs," Gibbs added. "Just for now, it makes sense." He figured that as long as they were both working at NCIS and on the same team, it was best for no one else to know.

"I guess." Slowly Abby worked her way out from under Tony.

"Where you going?" Tony grabbed hold of her wrist, reluctant to let her leave his sight.

Abby leaned in to kiss him gently. "I'm going to start the water, we could all use a shower before falling asleep." As much as she didn't want to leave the bed, she knew she needed to.

Tony held her on to her wrist a minute longer and then eventually let go, turned to curl up to Gibbs. "We're gonna be okay now, aren't we?"

Gibbs pulled him in close and ran a warm hand up and down the younger man's back. "Yeah. Won't let you go again."

"Vance tries to pull that again, I'll quit."

Gibbs nodded. "Or we let Abby finish him off."

Tony laughed and nuzzled in closer. "Or that, though I'd rather not risk the FBI figuring it out."

"What, you think Fornell would throw Abbs in jail?"

"No, but he'd black mail her into working for them."

"Point." Gibbs turned to his side and pushed his leg over Tony. "But it doesn't matter, won't come down to that. Vance isn't dumb enough to try and send you away again."

They were quiet a while and Tony was about to ask if he should see what was taking Abby so long, when the door to the bathroom opened and Abby came back in. Her hair was wet and she was wrapped in a towel. "Hot water is ready for you."

"You showered without us?" Tony frowned.

She nodded and reached for one of Gibbs' old t-shirts and a clean pair of underwear. "I figured if I was super quick, then I could change the sheets while you boys clean up."

"Want to do everything together," Tony moved off the bed. He bent to kiss her, but veered away from her lips at the last second to kiss away a water droplet that was making its way down her neck.

"You don't have the energy to do much in the shower," she reached up to cup his cheek in her hand, smiling when he nuzzled against her palm. "This way the bed will be ready by the time you're out. Gibbs'll make sure to keep you on your feet."

"We'll be quick." Tony reached for Gibbs and pulled him to his feet.

Gibbs moved with him, but paused to lean in to kiss Abby. "If I'm not back with him in ten minutes, come help me carry him back. He's half asleep on his feet already."

"Okay," she giggled. As soon as they were headed to the bathroom, Abby changed and then stripped the bed. She put the new sheets on quickly and was just putting the final pillow case on when she heard the water turn off. She moved around to the side of the bed Tony preferred and cracked the window so that it would give a slight breeze, just the way he liked it. She was just about to crawl into bed when both men reappeared.

Gibbs nudged Tony toward her and nodded toward the drawer. They were all exhausted, though Tony looked like he could hardly keep his eyes open, so Abby grabbed him a clean pair of boxers and helped Tony into them. He stood on his own and headed for the window, turning back to the bed with a grin. "You remembered."

"Of course," Abby pulled back the comforter and motioned for Tony to get in.

"No, you first."

"I'm pretty sure that you should be in the middle, Tony."

He shook his head. "I just want things the way they were. I want to be by the window. I haven't had a window in four months. Don't worry, I'll still cuddle up close enough to reach Gibbs too."

Gibbs was already in bed once they agreed, so Abby curled up to his chest and pulled Tony as tight around her as possible. They knew it wouldn't last, but to fall asleep together was what they all needed.

* * *

Tony had every intention of waking every few hours to take his fill of his lovers, but the next time he opened his eyes, the sun was shining bright through the window. He stretched and groaned. The last time he'd woken up this way was alone in a hotel room in Columbia. "Not again…"

"What is it?" Abby moved in close and ran her fingers through his hair. "Are you alright?"

Tony blinked up at the ceiling and then turned and was delighted to see Abby next to him. "Guess I forgot where I was. Thought last night might've been a dream."

"Nope," she shook her head. "No dream."

Tony lifted his head to look over her to the empty space where Gibbs had been? "Basement? What time is it?"

"It's almost 11, sleepyhead. And no, Gibbs went for… well, he was gonna go for breakfast around seven when he woke up, but I suggested waiting a bit to see if you actually woke up. He left about ten minutes ago to pick up lunch. Was going to wake you up if you were still asleep when he got back."

"Wait, don't we have work today?" He pushed back the covers, set on hitting the head.

"Well, we did… but Gibbs made a few calls, pulled a few strings… you know."

Tony was quick and hurried back to the warmth of the bed where Abby was waiting. "How long have you been awake?"

"Since Gibbs' left. Ever since you were sent away, I've been waking up when he does. Don't like waking up alone. But now that you're back, I'm going to learn how to sleep in again." She scooted down the bed and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him over herself like a shield or blanket.

"Think we have time for a quickie?" Tony nibbled along her earlobe as he asked.

Abby giggled below him and then pushed him to his back, straddling him within seconds. "We could try out a few of those places around Gibbs' house that you suggested…" she waved toward the drawer where he letters were kept.

Tony like that idea, but that involved getting out of bed, which he wasn't keen on doing. "Or we could play the _how many times will Abby come_ game."

"How about we eat lunch first." Gibbs said from the doorway. "Food is on the counter."

Tony pouted playfully. "You didn't want to serve me in bed?"

"Sheets are clean and you're not exactly a graceful eater," Gibbs teased and then headed back down the stairs.

Tony grumbled but was quick to change into sweats and follow Abby down the stairs. Gibbs had picked up a variety of things, much more than the three of them would ever finish. "Uh, boss… I know I'm still a growing boy, but…"

"You might want to put some real clothes on, Abby," he gestured to the over-sized shirt she was wearing. "The rest of the team will be here in ten minutes."

Abby's eyes lit up. It wasn't often that Gibbs wanted anyone else over, no matter how many times Abby suggested a team party at his place. Holidays always ended up at Ducky's – the only other one with enough room for all of them. "Yay!"

* * *

Gibbs wasn't comfortable with a house full of guests, but he figured they'd needed it. It had been difficult for all of them to be split up and then work a case as a fractured team. This time together was necessary to bring his team back together as the well-oiled team that they were.

He was happy that no one seemed to make him talk too much, though every so often Tony or Ducky would coax him into telling his version of a story.

Abby sat a little closer to Gibbs than she normally would – though no one ever questioned when Abby sat close to someone. But with all the attention on Tony, he was able to relax, lean back against the back of the sofa and wrap an arm around her shoulders as he watched the rest of his team interact.

* * *

"Abbs?"

"Hey, I'm almost done for the night." Abby glanced back at Gibbs where he stood in the doorway to her lab.

"Actually, it's why I'm here…" He took a deep breath and stepped forward. He'd never asked this of her before and he was worried she would take it the wrong way. But with no way to explain he had to hope for the best. "I need… I need to be with Tony tonight. Alone."

"I… Oh. Okay. Is Tony okay?" Abby glanced out into the hallway to see if Tony was hiding. "He isn't hurt is he? Because if you are trying to hide-"

"He's fine. He's up with McGee talking about some movie I've never heard of. You can check for yourself."

Abby nodded. "Okay. I, uh… I'll see you tomorrow then." She turned to her computer, searching for something – anything – to make her look busy so that he would leave. It wasn't that she didn't ever want time alone, but with Tony having been gone for so long and only being back a week, she wasn't ready to spend a night without him curled up around her (or at least within reach if they managed to get Gibbs between them).

"Night Abbs." Gibbs leaned in to kiss her cheek, a little closer to her lips than normal for being a work, and then left.

Abby stayed focused on finishing the set up for a DNA test and then shutting down the rest of her equipment. She hoped that by the time she was headed out both Tony and Gibbs would be gone already, but everyone was still at their desks when she passed by.

"Bye guys," she kept her focus on her phone as she hurried past. She gave a little wave and headed for the elevator, not completely unaware of the questioning looks on both Gibbs and Tony's faces.

She got into her car and locked it (out of habit) and pulled Bert from her oversized purse. "Something is hinky, buddy," Abby said to the stuffed hippo as she pulled out of her parking spot. "I mean, it's one thing if Gibbs wants some time alone, but alone with Tony? I… he's only just come back and I know Gibbs missed him just as much as I did, but to cut me out after a week? Maybe he thinks I've been smothering Tony. Have I been smothering him?" She reached out and squeezed Bert until he farted and then continued. "What if having Tony away for so long and only being with me Gibbs realized he loved Tony more? No… he wouldn't…" Abby shook her head. "Did Tony ask for a night away from me? Maybe he asked Gibbs to ask me not to come?"

Abby's fingers tighten on the steering wheel before she reached for her cell phone and hit speed dial. "Hey," she said when the person answered. "You busy?"

* * *

TBC…

Trouble in paradise?


	36. Chapter 36

What's all this talk of evil hats? I know nothing… And I didn't even make you wait! I must be going soft.

* * *

Tony dropped the pizza box on the dining table and dropped his jacket over the arm of the couch only to smirk when Gibbs came along behind him to hang it up. "Grab beer and plates. I'll grab paper and pens."

Gibbs nodded and headed for the kitchen. "You get her contact list?"

"Yeah," Tony pulled a piece of pizza out, not waiting for a plate, swallowing hastily to continue. "McGoo is convinced she's going to kill him when she finds out he hacked into her computer."

"We'll just tell her it was you."

"Ass," Tony mumbled around the crust of his pizza.

"Focus, DiNozzo. Ideas for where we can have this? It's not happening here."

"Relax. Let me be in charge of location, and decorations. I think we should have it at seven with drinks and fun finger foods. Or better yet, candy. Lots and lots of candy. And a cake, can't have a birthday without a cake. So here," Tony pushed the list of names and numbers to Gibbs. "You start calling people, I'll get started with a menu."

"We need a location before I can invite people."

"Yeah, okay." Tony pulled out his lap top and logged online. Within minutes he had found the perfect jazz club willing to rent out their large back room for Abby's surprise birthday party. Tony had been there before, and knew what the room looked like. There wouldn't be much needed as far as decorations, with the exception of the million-plus streamers he wanted to hang. Once that was settled, Gibbs started on the long list of Abby's friends while Tony searched for food options. The jazz club offered a bartender with the rental of the room, so at least that was one thing taken care of.

He was in the middle of searching for larger scale gothic decorations that he could add to the club when he was distracted by updates on facebook. "What the…" he turned the computer so Gibbs could look. "She's out clubbing!"

"So?"

Tony pulled the laptop closer and looked at the photo she was tagged in. "That's my favorite skirt and… look at her!" He spun his computer toward Gibbs so he could show the older man what they were missing out on.

"Tony," Gibbs was tired and irritated at being the one to do most the work. "We asked her not to come over tonight, you wanted her to sit home alone and do nothing?"

Tony sighed heavily. "Yes? No. I don't know. I thought maybe she would call Carol or something. I didn't think she'd be out with…" He studied the photos, "Ziva, Irene, Leanne… and _everyone_?"

"DiNozzo!"

The head-slap that accompanied Gibbs' sharp tone wasn't entirely unexpected. "Sorry boss, I just… I haven't been out clubbing with her since… well, this latest _clusterfuck_. And now she's out shaking her ass for other people to see."

Gibbs refused to go clubbing with them, but was happy for the two of them to let off steam in a club so long as they returned to him. It gave him a chance to spend some time in the basement without wondering what trouble they were getting into upstairs.

"I know, but you know she's not going home with anyone. She's just out having a good time."

"Are you sure? She probably thinks you wanted me alone for hot, wild sex. So she's upset and some ass at the club will scoop her right up. We're not having sex, by the way." Tony typed a little harder on the keyboard as he went back to his search.

Gibbs chuckled and shook his head, "whatever you say."

It was late before they had everything finished. Tony had ordered everything to be delivered to his new apartment, _so we'd better keep her busy and away from my place_. Not that any of them had a reason to be there. It was half empty, a place he could crash if needed – a place he could invite McGee over if the younger man was having a rough time, or if some college buddies were in town. He ducked away from Gibbs when Gibbs tried to pull him close, but was out maneuvered upstairs when Gibbs finally shoved him up against the wall to kiss him.

"We're still not having sex."

"Not asking for sex, Tony. Just want to kiss you, making up for lost time."

Tony melted against him easily and sighed happily when Gibbs eventually pulled away. "We could take a shower together and, you know, if your dick just happened to rub against mine… it's not really sex now, is it?"

Gibbs followed him to the shower and stripped efficiently so he could get the water to the perfect temperature while Tony took his time, spending more time folding his clothes than necessary. Gibbs was halfway through shampooing his hair when Tony joined him and took over. It wasn't something that he would ever admit to, but whenever either Tony or Abby shared a shower with him and took the time to shampoo his hair, it was one of the most relaxing things he could think of. When it was Abby, her touches were feather soft and gentle. She took care to keep water out of his eyes and always made sure to keep as much of her body pressed to his as she could. When it was Tony, his hands were more firm and he paid more attention to easing the tension from the base of his skull with his thumbs.

Eventually they switched roles, but rather than stand behind Tony, Gibbs stood in front of him, grinning at the look of excited pleasure on his face when their dicks touched. Gibbs tried to ignore the sensation while he shampooed Tony's hair, but Tony was quick to squirt a little of Abby's favorite shower gel into his hand and grabbed his cock.

"You're like a horny teenager, the way you play with that thing."

"Mm… you're complaining?" He grabbed Gibbs' dick and pressed them together, jerking his hips forward.

"Nah." Gibbs tilted Tony's head back under the spray to rinse the shampoo and then pressed him back against the cool tile and thrust into Tony's hand. He wrapped his arms around the younger man, holding him close as they thrust together, grunting and groaning in the shower. It was almost like a competition to see who would last longer and eventually Gibbs leaned in to growl in Tony's ear. "You think Abby wore that skirt because she knew she'd be on that facebook thing and she knew you'd see it?"

Tony let out a strangled moan and was the first to find release, spurting over the both of them. Gibbs wasn't far behind and they stood under the spray, breathing heavily and sharing the occasional kiss. "You really are a bastard, you know that? I was totally going to outlast you and you had to cheat."

Gibbs turned under the spray to completely rinse one more time. "Wasn't cheating, was asking a simple question. Come on, the water is starting to cool."

"Simple question, my ass." Tony followed him out and shook his head like a wet dog before grabbing a towel. They dried off and pulled on clean boxers before climbing under the sheets. It wasn't long before they were fast asleep.

* * *

"This is for you," Ziva presented Abby a chocolate cupcake with a smile. "Thank you for letting me spend the night last night."

"Wait, you spent the night…" Tony's eyebrows shot up. "As in, a sleepover?" Gibbs had reassured him that Abby wouldn't find a new lover at the club, but he hadn't said anything about on the team. If Abby was okay with two men together, no doubt loving another woman wasn't out of the question.

Ziva smiled to herself as Abby skipped toward the back elevator with her cupcake.

"What do you know, probster? Has this been a regular event while I've been away?"

McGee rolled his eyes and ignored him. Luckily for him, Gibbs came around the corner. "Female navel Lieutenant Commander found dead in a park. Grab your gear." He never liked to hear about someone dying, but he loved the way his team moved with practiced ease.

* * *

Gibbs frowned as he stepped into the elevator and headed up to the squad room. She hadn't been cold, but Abby had definitely been distant. There had been no mention to the night before – the fact that Tony and Gibbs had spent the night without her, nor the fact that she had been out partying. He wished he could've waited a few weeks. With Tony only back a few nights, he knew it would look like they were pushing her away to have time alone. He hadn't taken the decision to ask her to stay away lightly, time wasn't on their side, but if it was going to make her worry _that_ much he was tempted to ruin the surprise - until he figured out a way to deal with it.

Tony noticed it as well, pulling Gibbs aside before they went to the lab to see if she was ready to leave for the night. "Should we tell her?"

"She can pout for a week, it won't kill her."

"It might kill me!"

"I will kill you. Keep your mouth shut."

"What do I do if she asks me about why we needed time alone last night, what do I say?"

"You're a special agent, figure something out." An idea came to mind. "Spend a night with just her, tell her you needed solo time with each of us, I don't care. Just don't ruin the surprise."

Tony grinned at him and then laughed. "The great Leroy Jethro Gibbs is concerned about a surprise birthday party. I never thought I'd see the day."

"Don't get used to it and don't expect your own." Gibbs sent the elevator in motion again. "Why don't you take her back to her apartment tonight, just the two of you? It might help keep her from worrying or questioning things too much."

"Yeah, maybe a good idea. But if you get a 911 text, it means she's grilling me and I can't keep quiet much longer and you_ know_ that thing that she does with her tongue? I can't be held responsible if she uses it as an interrogation method." He accepted the head-slap like a man and left the elevator with a wide grin.

"What's that grin for?" Abby looked up from her computer when Tony strolled in, Gibbs not far behind.

"I tried to bend Gibbs over his desk, but he wasn't interested. Thought you might be?"

Abby cracked a grin. "In bending Gibbs over the desk?"

"I am standing right here," Gibbs rolled his eyes.

Abby shut off her computer and gathered her stuff. "Are you guys ready-"

"Just you and me tonight, my lady," Tony said as he grabbed her hand and pulled it to his lips.

"Oh?" She sent a curious look to Gibbs.

He gave a slight nod. "I won't be out of here for a while anyway. Have a good night."

Abby's voice lowered to a whisper. "Is everything okay?" They had always stressed that their relationship was the three of them – everything together – and now two nights in a row they were doing things separately.

Gibbs glanced at the security camera and nodded to Tony. It took the younger man a second to catch on, but then he grabbed a chair and stepped up and pretended to look at a something on the top shelf, shielding Gibbs and Abby from the camera. Gibbs leaned in for a slow kiss, holding Abby close. "Everything is fine, I promise. Tony just asked for some time alone with you, that's all."

"Like he did with you? Nothing bad going on?"

"Nothing bad, I promise. Not that I'm aware of." He glanced at Tony who was still stretched awkwardly to block them from the camera.

"We're fine." Tony hopped down and handed Abby her things. "I just…" He tried to ignore Gibbs staring at him. "I was gone for so long, I thought it would be nice to have some time alone with each of you. I want to nibble all over you and not worry about keeping Gibbs pleased as well."

"That so?" Abby took her stuff and headed for the door. "So, where exactly will you be nibbling?"

Tony sent a grateful smile over his shoulder as he followed her out of the lab.

* * *

Sex, when Gibbs was involved, was usually about the connection the three of them shared. It was about Gibbs reminding himself that he was no longer alone, that they loved him as much as he loved them. It was heavy and sometimes more emotionally exhausting than physical. And it wasn't that Tony didn't love every minute of it, but sometimes he just wanted to give in to the physical pleasures and let his body take over.

When it was just he and Abby, sex sometimes turned into a light-hearted game. They pulled up an app on her phone of 50 different sex positions, set on trying them all - laughing through the ones that were too awkward to get much friction and panting through the more pleasurable ones as they tried to make it last.

"Tony… I… I can't…. _Oh God!_"

"Yes you can, babe…" Tony slowed and pulled out, tugging her by the hand back to the bed. She fell onto the bed and then moved to her hands and knees, wiggling her butt in the air. "Come on, cowboy, let's finish this."

Tony grinned and kneeled behind her and slipped back into her wet heat with a groan. This time they didn't hold back, instead pushing for a quick release, both of them crying out together and collapsing forward.

"Oh my _God_, I needed that." Tony laced their fingers together, their bodies too over-heated to curl up together right away. "You okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Abby laughed; her voice raspy and full of satisfaction. "I don't even know."

Tony grinned and rolled onto his side to face her. "Nothing is broken though, right? Gibbs would kill me if I broke you."

"Nothing is broken," she leaned in to touch her nose to his, and then, finally feeling that she was cooling down, she snuggled up close. "God, I missed you so bad. It just wasn't…"

"Hey," Tony soothed, "I thought we were past this. Vance was a dick and sent me away, but I'm back now and _never_ leaving like that again."

"I know," she sniffed, trying to reign in her emotions. "I was so worried that you'd meet someone on the ship or, you know, just move on or something. Or that you'd be mad at Gibbs for not getting you home sooner."

"Hey, if anything, I was the one worried that you and Gibbs would just forget about me because you had each other. That's why I made sure to send some of those _extra_ steamy letters. So you wouldn't forget how _long and strong_ I am."

"Should… should we call and ask Gibbs to come over? I feel weird that it's just two of us again, even though we're all three here in town."

"Nope," Tony tugged her in closer and pulled the blankets up over them before wrapping himself around her. "I meant it earlier when I said that I just needed a little time with each of you alone. So I can put all my focus into remembering every little detail about you and not worry that I'm ignoring the other. Tomorrow we'll climb into Gibbs' bed like normal. For tonight, I want you to myself. So many places to nibble, I might've lost count."

Abby sighed happily. "No, I think you found them all."

"I don't know about that…" Tony pulled the blanket up over his head and kissed his way back down her body.

* * *

Gibbs knew politics weren't pretty. But to find out that an old friend, someone he trusted, had been lying to him, put him into a funk he just couldn't climb out of. Senator Kiley was someone he had known for years, someone he trusted with just about everything in life, and suddenly it was all thrown away.

"He in the basement?" Abby closed the front door quietly behind her when she saw Tony was alone on the couch flipping channels.

"Yeah, hasn't been home long. Said he would talk when he was ready, but... not much to say, if you ask me. Whatcha got?" Tony nodded to the large bag in her hands.

"McGee said the cupcake was so delicious, so I had to go get replacement. I got one for you and one for Gibbs as well."

Tony's eyes lit up. "Double chocolate?"

She nodded. "Yep."

"You should bring him his. I know he hasn't eaten. A cupcake isn't much, but it might help soak up some of that bourbon he's no doubt drowning himself in."

"Okay." Abby set the bag on the coffee table and pulled out her cupcake and Tony's. "Mine better still be here when I get back…"

Tony grinned up at her. "I'm not McGee, I would _never_ steal a cupcake from my cupcake. But if I'm a good boy can I lick some frosting from you-"

"Tony! How about you just focus on being a good boy before we get to the specifics."

"Deal."

Abby picked up Gibbs' cupcake and grabbed an extra napkin from the kitchen before heading down the basement. She could see he was tense from the way he was bent over the work bench, his attention completely focused on whatever he was doing. It was unusual for him to not realize he had company, but as he became more and more comfortable with Tony and Abby in his home, he didn't feel the need to listen for every little shift in the house or creak in the floor boards. Abby reached out and tenderly ran her hand across his back. She noticed the way he tensed and then relaxed under her touch. "I went for a replacement cupcake. Brought you one, thought I'd bring it down." She set the small box on the bench, keeping the small cake covered to keep it clean of sawdust.

"Thanks, I won't be long…"

"Take your time," she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"Abbs…" He wanted to ask her to stay, but at the same time still needed some time to sort through the betrayal of a good friend.

"I can't stay down here for more than one more quick kiss, I left Tony upstairs with both his and my cupcakes. I don't trust him much longer than that."

Gibbs grinned and leaned in to kiss her before nodding toward the stairs. "You'd better hurry then."

Abby gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze and then hurried up the stairs. "My cupcake had better be where I left it, mister," she called out.

* * *

TBC…

See? Could've been muuuuch worse. ;)


	37. Chapter 37

Gibbs knew the moment their case took them to Stillwater that Tony and Abby would find out about his father. He had hoped to keep that part of his life closed the way it had been – he had no reason to reconnect with his father. He hoped that by leaving Tony back with Abby to run leads in the lab, he could avoid any problems. But as soon as he saw Ziva talking to a familiar face, he knew the news would reach home within an hour.

He lie awake in his old room and stared up at the reminders of his past. He was surprised that neither Tony nor Abby had called him. McGee had talked to both and said they would be driving up the next day, but he at least expected Abby to call – no doubt they both had more questions than he would be able to answer, and it weighed heavily on him that they didn't call.

They were likely mad. He had left out the information on his dead wife and daughter and now this. He only hoped he hadn't ruined it all.

* * *

"I can't believe he didn't tell us," Tony pressed harder on the gas pedal and directed them onto the freeway.

"I can. What about his life has he volunteered?"

Tony shrugged. "I know, but still… he's referred to his father as being dead. Not only did he not tell us, he kinda flat out lied about it." Avoiding the topic was one thing, lying about it was another.

"It's Gibbs. He's not exactly an open book. He's a little… dusty."

Tony glanced over at her. "But when do we start deserving a bit more than the same old mysteries he lets everyone else believe."

"Tony…"

Tony sighed and he reached out to rest a hand on her thigh. "I'm not… it's not a deal breaker, I just… I don't want to be lied to."

"He didn't lie to us; we overheard his lie to someone else. It's not like we actually asked him about it. I'm sure he'll explain it all." Abby covered Tony's hand with her own and turned to look out the window. "Plus, if we're lucky, his father will tell us all kinds of fun stories about Gibbs as a kid."

Tony laughed. "Gibbs as a kid. Who would've thought."

* * *

They were pleasantly cool when they arrived, both of them taking in everything about Jackson Gibbs without showing much in the way of their personal relationship. Tony referred to him as Boss and Abby was so caught up in Jackson's charm, she hardly had time to focus on the case, let alone the younger Gibbs.

It irritated Gibbs the way Jack flirted so openly with her, and the way she lapped it up, smiling coyly and teasing him right back. Gibbs looked to Tony to see if he was put off by the show of affection from his father to Abby, but even Tony seemed to find it amusing. Gibbs quietly stalked around the back of the shop, pricing cans as Jack taught his lovers how to work the cash machine while Abby waited for DNA results.

"He's Ethan's father…" Abby looked up sharply. "Charles… he's Ethan's biological father."

Gibbs managed to push his irritation aside to refocus on the case. They finally pieced it all together and together Gibbs, Tony, Ziva and McGee headed over to arrest Charles' son-in-law. He sent Ziva, Tony and McGee to escort him to the local police station to wait for transport. With the one car, they didn't have room to drive him back to D.C. Gibbs and his father sat back in his old car and headed back to Jack's home.

"You gonna tell me why you get so angry every time I talk to that pretty scientist of yours?"

Gibbs shot his father an annoyed glance, but said nothing.

"It seems like every time I even smile at her, the hair on the back of your neck raises. What gives?"

"Nothing." Gibbs was dreading the explanation when they returned to his house – assuming they came back to his house. He had no idea what had happened at the hotel in Stillwater where Tony and Abby stayed while he was forced to spend another night at his fathers.

"She's a nice lady, that one." Jackson sat quietly for a moment as his son drove them back. "Parts of her remind me of Shannon – her spirit. They look nothing alike, but… a special spark."

"Enough." Gibbs snapped. Abby was the one person he had never compared to Shannon and he wanted to keep it that way.

Jack glanced over to him and nodded. "Tell me about the rest of them. That Tony kid seems to be a handful, but a good guy nonetheless."

"He is. Best I've got."

"Hard worker."

"No one I'd rather have watch my six."

Jack nodded and then stayed quiet as they pulled up out front of the store. Abby had already packed up her equipment and was running the cash machine, ringing up purchases for a few customers in line. "You didn't have to open up, Abby," Jack smiled. "We're a small town, people can wait." Though judging by the friendly smiles and full shopping carts, she was good for business.

"It's no problem, everyone has been super sweet since I'm not as fast with this thing as you." She handed the change to the person she'd been helping with a smile. "Come again soon."

"New hire, Jack? The man asked as he headed for the door.

"Temporary help unless I can convince her that small-town life is more enjoyable than the big city."

Abby grinned wide. "Very tempting, Jackson," her gaze shifted to Gibbs and seeing the frown, her smile faded. "However, I'm pretty happy where I'm at. I hear the guys out front. I'll let you take over again, gotta load up my equipment." She stepped around the counter and grabbed the first box on the table and headed toward the door, keeping her gaze firmly on the box in her hands.

Tony opened the door as she approached and the three agents stepped aside until Abby was out. "Boss, he'll be transported back first thing tomorrow." Tony stood awkwardly looking between the two Gibbs men.

Gibbs nodded. "McGee, grab a box and help Abby finish loading."

Abby came back in and together, she and McGee managed to grab the remaining stuff to carry it back to the car. Ziva said her goodbye first, and headed for the car. Tony wasn't ready to leave, he had so many questions, so much he wanted to know. "Jack, I've got a few questions…"

Gibbs wasn't sure why he felt panicked over the idea of Tony asking questions, so he put a limit, hurrying the younger man through his goodbye. Suddenly Abby was waiting for her turn to say goodbye. She hugged Jackson tight and invited him for a visit to her lab and then turned to the car. Ziva was already riding shotgun, but rather than complain she headed for the backseat, content to rest against Tony while they drove back.

"Oh boss… not backseat, middle hump… " He didn't mind sitting in the back with Abby, but with McGee squished in with them; there wasn't much room for the four hour drive back. Before Gibbs could say anything, Tony watched as Jack held out the keys for the old car that Gibbs had wanted to restore.

"I don't have much use for it anymore. Take it."

Tony's eyes went wide as Gibbs dropped the keys for the NCIS car in his hand and then moved forward to hug his father.

* * *

Tony took his time driving back from Stillwater. There was no doubt that Gibbs would beat him home, but Tony was getting angry and ever since he had seen the guilty look on Gibbs face when they'd first arrived, he wanted to let Gibbs sit and think about it. It wasn't fair, he knew that, and part of him wanted to hurry home so he and Abby could get all the details as soon as possible. But after everything they'd been through, Tony didn't like that they were still keeping secrets.

He parked the car at NCIS and helped Abby to unload her supplies while the others grabbed their personal belongings and headed home. "Jack was nice," Tony commented. "I don't know why Gibbs would hide him from us."

Abby shrugged. "They seem pretty similar, actually. Jack just seemed more… open, friendly. I mean, Gibbs is nice to us, but…"

"Yeah, it took a while. They must've had a falling out." Abby followed Tony to his car and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Don't be too harsh on him, give him a chance to explain."

Tony rolled his eyes, but knew she was right. There was plenty to be said about father-son relationships and while he knew Abby had been close with her parents, Tony knew what it was like to have a less than supportive father.

* * *

Gibbs was pacing, waiting for Tony and Abby to arrive – at least, he hoped they would arrive. He knew he owed them both an apology, though he figured it'd be more of an explanation rather than an _I'm sorry_. He had to admit that it had been good to see his father again. It had been a long time since the funeral, and while the anger has dissipated, he still hadn't understood why his father had shown up with a date to his girls' funeral. But Jack was looking well for his age, and the store seemed to be good for him. He had gotten the chance to talk to a few people that he remembered, and everyone spoke highly of Jack and his service to the community.

Tony arrived first and Gibbs watched through the window and Tony seemed to need the time to work his way up the front step.

"Hey," Tony said once he saw Gibbs standing a few feet away. "Abby was right behind me. She caught an extra red light."

Gibbs nodded. He started to say something, but Tony interrupted him. Neither were good at these sorts of situations, so it was for the best that they wait for Abby and get it all over at once. "Fresh coffee on?" When he nodded again, Tony shrugged out of his coat and headed for the kitchen.

Like Tony had said, Abby wasn't too far behind. She was talking animatedly on the phone as she approached the front door and then let herself inside. Gibbs was just about to say something but she shook her head. "… yeah, no… it was fine. No, I appreciate it. Yes…. Yes, thank you."

As soon as she hung up, Gibbs quirked an eyebrow.

"That was your dad, wanted to make sure we got home okay."

Gibbs could hardly believe it. Four hours away from Stillwater and Jack was still taking up her attention.

"Wait, what was that… that eye roll? Jesus, he was just making sure we made it home safely."

"How did he get your number?"

"I gave it to him."

"Why?"

Abby shrugged out of her coat and stared at him a moment before she spoke, her voice going soft. "We exchanged numbers so that if anything happened… someone up in Stillwater would know where to call. Or if something… if you…" she straightened her shoulders and accept the coffee that Tony carried out for her. "If something happened to you, I would be able to contact him."

"Abby…"

"What is it between you two? And wow… good to know your dad is actually _alive_."

Gibbs dropped down to the chair across from the couch where Abby was sitting and sat quietly until Tony joined them, sitting beside Abby. "Last I saw him was at the girls' funeral. He brought a date and it just…"

"Might not have been the classiest move, but he's still your dad. Seems nice, too." Tony added.

"Gibbs… remember how it's the three of us now? It's none of our business as to _why_ you don't talk, but it was… hurtful that you tried to keep us away from your hometown. Did you think we'd suddenly side with him or something?"

"He had you eating out of his hand the whole time," Gibbs grumbled.

Abby laughed. "He's a sweet old man with a lot of charm. But you have to know that I'd always back you if it came down to it. And it was fun helping with the store. Reminds me of the store my Uncle Ron used to have. Luca and I would go in on the weekends and straighten out shelves for a free soda."

"He loves you," Tony interrupted. "You can see it in the way he looks at you. Don't take that for granted," Tony sighed. "Deep down, I'm sure my father loves me, but… he hasn't given a shit about me since I stopped fetching him his night cap."

Gibbs sat quietly for a moment, clearly thinking over his words before he finally spoke. "We've always had a hard time. We're too much alike in some ways," he shrugged. "But he… he brought a date to their funeral and I couldn't… he brought a _date._" He looked up, his brow furrowed. He expected them to brush it off, tell him that it was nothing against Gibbs, that he hadn't wanted to be alone. But instead of telling him that he was being ridiculous, the next thing he knew, Abby was making herself comfortable on his lap, her arms wrapped around him.

"Must've been hard to see," she murmured.

Gibbs let out a ragged sigh. "I do love him."

"Of course you do." Tony got up and stood beside them, his hand resting heavily on Gibbs' shoulder. "Must have a lot of memories of Stillwater."

Gibbs only nodded. He was trying to be more open, but he didn't have the words to describe how he and Shannon had met. It hadn't been something he'd thought of recently and then being faced with the very spot he'd first seen her had been quite a blow.

* * *

Tbc…

Omg, I love Jack on the show. Ralph Waite is the best actor to play him and he and MH play WONDERFULLY off each other. I wrote to him once with a screen cap from this episode, hoping for an autograph to add to my NCIS WallOfAwesome ™ and got a reply within a week with both an autograph and a lovely letter. The man is just as charming as he is on the show.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty Eight**

Gibbs hated awards, but it wasn't that thought that kept him away from the award ceremony. He hurried up the front steps, unlocked his front door and frowned when he realized that the deadbolt was locked too. "Abbs..." he called through the small crack that the door opened. "It's me." Suddenly the door was pushed closed and he could hear the jingle of the deadbolt unlocking.

"Gibbs!" Abby pulled the door open and threw herself at him as soon as he stepped over the threshold.

Gibbs struggled under the sudden weight thrown at him and together they staggered toward the sofa. "You okay?"

"I'm okay now. But I was terrified earlier. I thought he was in my lab, I thought he was going to get me…" She snuggled against him. "I mean, I know I'm okay now, but it just brought up so many memories of Ari and Chip and that fan of McGee's books and…" she shuddered at the thought. "He got so close to us and we didn't even know it. He was _watching _me with that camera on the janitor's cart."

"I know." The fear that had been coursing through him when he thought their guy was targeting Abby had nearly choked him. He held her close and ran his fingers through her hair. "I know."

"Tony coming home soon?"

Gibbs nodded. "As soon as he's done pretending to be me and accept that award."

"Gibbs! You should really be the one accepting those. You've earned them."

Gibbs shrugged and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Don't need any awards for doing my job."

"You're a hero."

"Hardly."

"You're my hero."

He smiled and kissed her again. "Only award I need is you and Tony in my bed each night."

* * *

Gibbs watched as Agent Lee headed for the elevator. She had been useful in their latest case, but there was something about her that just made him take notice. She was quiet and shy, but it was the way she was so uncomfortable that made him feel uneasy. It wasn't like the rest of NCIS that held a healthy respect and kept their distance, she looked almost… guilty. Then, when Tony had found Langer's old badge, Gibbs knew it was too much of a coincidence to actually be one. Tony had headed home nearly an hour earlier. There was a big game on and he had pulled Gibbs aside to ask if he could head out on time (unless they got a case). McGee and Ziva were slowly trickling out and Gibbs was finally ready to leave. He pulled open his desk drawer and pulled out Langer's old badge. Once it was safe inside his pocket, he picked up his phone and dialed a familiar number.

* * *

The bar was dark and on the quiet side. It had been awhile since he, Tony and Abby had been there, but the bartender smiled and automatically reached for the bourbon. Gibbs smiled and took it gratefully. He took a sip as he pulled out Langer's badge and looked it over once more.

"You alone?" The bartender interrupted his thoughts.

"No."

The bartender glanced around to the near empty bar but said nothing.

As he waited, Gibbs left his drink for a moment and went to add the badge to the list of the fallen. So many familiar faces stared back at him and he swallowed hard against the memories that flooded his mind. He was just sliding back into his seat when a warm hand closed over his arm.

"Hey…"

"Hey Abbs."

Abby took the seat next to him and waved at the bartender with a smile.

He grabbed her usual beer and handed it to her. "Been awhile, this one's on the house."

"Sweet of you, thanks." She smiled gratefully and then turned to Gibbs once they were alone. "Tony?"

"Can't know…"

"Gibbs…"

"Let me explain first, then ask questions." Gibbs took his time, outlining his idea of making Abby look like a suspect in the disappearance of Domino. He hoped that making her look guilty would give them some working room to finally figure out what Michelle was doing.

"But why can't Tony…"

"I need his… I need everyone's reaction to be genuine. It won't be for long, just long enough for me to figure out what Lee is up to."

Abby nodded. "What do you need me to do?"

* * *

Tony had a horrible feeling about the day right from the start. He was furious with Gibbs for keeping him out of the loop about their so-called test. He hurt, and he knew Ziva was in pain with the way she winced every time she moved. He knew Gibbs had said not to fight back, but it went against Ziva's training. Once she let loose, Tony had followed her lead and now they were both paying for it. As much as he wanted to go home and stretch out on the couch, he had some words he needed to share with Gibbs in the privacy of their home – the idea of it being _their_ home still made him pause briefly. But he couldn't think of any reason for Gibbs not to give him a heads up on what they were doing. But now, as Vance was ready to scan their hands and no doubt incriminate Agent Lee, he had a second moment of dread. He waited quietly as Vance moved down the line, scanning his hands, then Ziva's then Gibbs. He watched as he moved down the line toward Michelle, assuming that the scanner wouldn't go off until it hit her. When it beeped loudly over Abby's hands, Tony's head snapped up.

They were all in shock as Vance nodded to one of the guard and then slipped the scanner into his pocket. "I think we need to talk, Ms. Sciuto."

As soon as Vance had gone with Abby, Tony turned to Gibbs. "What… Abby isn't… she's not a terrorist. Do something!"

Gibbs stared after her, willing himself not to say anything with Agent Lee was still around. "We'll figure it out."

* * *

Despite her cold attitude toward Lee, Abby felt bad that the case had ended in her death. She felt even worse that Gibbs had been the one to kill her. She knew he'd had to do it, but she could see the guilt weighed heavily on him. Gibbs still needed to sort things out with Tony. The younger man was upset that he hadn't been included in all the plans, but he had relaxed and given Gibbs some space to deal with the fact that he'd had to kill Lee.

With Gibbs in the basement and Tony on the couch, Abby busied herself tidying up, making coffee and sorting out something for them to eat. Gibbs wasn't likely to leave the basement for a while, even with an injured hand keeping him from working; he was down there to sort through his thoughts.

"Coffee?" Abby held out a cup, perfectly sweetened to Tony's liking.

"Sometimes I wish I didn't love him so much, you know?" Tony took the coffee and brought it to his lips.

Abby frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?" She sat next to him and curled her feet under herself, turning to face Tony.

"Nothing," Tony shook his head. "I just… I'm tired of being left out of important information. His personal stuff… okay, I get it, but for work? I'm supposed to be his number one. I can't watch his back if I don't know what's going on. Maybe… maybe things would have ended differently if I had known from the start what was going on with Michelle. Instead he's down there with a busted finger, wallowing in guilt over having to kill someone who was only trying to save her sister."

Abby reached out to take one of Tony's hands. "You can't be upset with just him. I agreed to go along with it. I could have told you."

"Nah, you're probably the only one who would never go against what Gibbs' says. It's okay."

"No it's not," Abby shook her head. "It's okay if you're mad, but it needs to be at both of us. Of course I love him and follow the rules. But I love you too. And I make my own decisions, Gibbs doesn't make them for me."

"I know." Tony stretched out and rest his ankles on the coffee table. "Why don't you try and coax the bear from his cave. I'm not… mad, but we should talk about it and get it over with."

"Ok." She leaned in to kiss the tip of his nose and then got up. She left the coffee upstairs and headed down to the basement. Gibbs looked up as Abby approached and offered a forced smile. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" he asked.

"You smile, even though it's obvious you're upset." She moved closer and brushed her finger tips over his forehead. "You don't have to hide the pain."

Gibbs pressed a kiss to her palm. "I can't help it, seeing you makes me smile; even when I hurt."

"How's your hand?" Abby picked his hand up and brushed a gentle kiss over the bandage.

"I'll be fine."

"Wasn't what I asked."

"I know."

"Come talk to Tony. I know you don't say sorry, but… he needs to hear it from you as to why he wasn't included in your plan."

Gibbs frowned. He knew he needed to talk to Tony. It hadn't been fair to keep him in the dark. But at the same time, he'd done what was necessary to catch a criminal – a threat to the country. "Okay."

Abby was surprised to see how easy it had been for her to get Gibbs to agree to talk to Tony. She had assumed he'd want longer in the basement, but was pleasantly surprised as he followed her up the stairs. "I'll give you some time to talk…" Abby headed upstairs to tidy up around the bedroom and give them some time alone. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but every so often she could hear Tony's voice rise and then she would hear nothing for a few minutes. Occasionally Gibbs' calm voice floated up the stairs, but otherwise there was no indication of how their conversation was going. Once all her clean laundry was put away, she moved on to the bathroom. She gave them a good twenty minutes, then, hearing nothing but the low chatter of the TV she headed down the stairs.

Pausing halfway down, Abby smiled at the sight. Gibbs was stretched out along the sofa with Tony cradled between his legs, resting against his chest. He was using his uninjured hand to flip channels and Tony had his injured hand held between his, the heat of his palm no doubt soothing the ache of the injury. She was about to turn around and let them just continue to have some time together when Tony lifted his head and saw her.

"Hey…"

"I see your talk went well."

Tony grinned at her and held out a hand toward her. "Join us."

"One of these days we're going to break Gibbs' couch and that'll be an awkward explanation." She moved to sit in front of the couch, leaning her back against it and tilting her face up to smile at Tony.

Tony laughed. "Oh come on, the best way to lie is to tell the truth… or something. I'd just tell McGee that Gibbs had me bent over the back of it and he'll leave it alone."

She couldn't see it, but she heard the sound of Gibbs' hand on the back of Tony's head.

* * *

The holidays approached faster that Abby had anticipated. Like usual, Thanksgiving at Ducky's was one of her favorites. They had been lucky enough to be off duty, so their weekend had been uninterrupted. The team gathered at Ducky's – each person bringing something to share. They ate, drank and shared stories. Even Gibbs had been in an especially good mood. Then, moving to the living room they all lounged around watching football. McGee had to leave early for a second dinner with his family. When Gibbs and Abby left (under the pretense that he was driving her home), Palmer was asleep on the couch. Tony was taking Ziva home before heading back to Gibbs'.

The tradeoff for having Thanksgiving off was that they were required to work the Christmas holiday. They were allowed Christmas Day off barring no urgent cases, but for the entire week surrounding Christmas, NCIS was working with the bare-minimum, only Gibbs' team in the office.

Abby didn't mind working over the holidays. It meant that she got to be with her favorite people. It wasn't like she wouldn't be with Gibbs and Tony anyway, but having Ducky, Ziva and McGee within reach for Christmas hugs was also nice.

Her heart broke when she learned about Ned Quinn. To have lost everything – his family, his home, the life he knew all because of serving his country was something that she knew hit home for Gibbs. He might not have come back a drug addict, but he had lost his family, the life he had known and in a roundabout way, his home. He still had the physical house, but it had only been an empty shell of reminders for many years. While Tony and Ziva were out looking for Quinn, Abby carried up eggnog for both Gibbs and McGee. She smiled as she thought back to Jimmy. They'd had to load him into a cab and Ducky had paid in advance, asking him to make sure that Mr. Palmer had made it inside the front door.

She approached and held out the eggnog to each of them. She knew Gibbs wouldn't drink it – he never did at work, but she wanted to offer anyway. She held out the cups and McGee took his right away. She stared at Gibbs, giving her best puppy-dog look, but he return glare never faltered. She held the eye contact, but held out the second cup to McGee. He was quick to take the second. No one else had the balls to say no to Abby.

When the elevator dinged and McGee when to meet Ned's daughter, Gibbs pulled Abby into a hug. "Merry Christmas, Abbs." It was a rare show of affection at work, but no one ever question any affection shown toward Abby. He pressed a kiss to her temple and then gently nudged her away to talk to Melissa Quinn, Ned's daughter.

She knew she was wrong to listen in, but when she heard that Melissa wanted to see her father, Abby knew she had to make it happen.

* * *

Gibbs knew he owed Abby an apology. He had snapped when he found out that Abby had interfered and tried to bring Melissa to Quinn when he said he didn't want to see her. But as he sat in his car, watching as Melissa opened her home to her father, he knew he'd been wrong. He had told Ned that if he had one wish in the world, it would to be able to hold his daughter one last time. And as the words came out, he knew that Ned had to at least try to rebuild a relationship with his daughter. As soon as the door closed, Gibbs looked down at the drawings Ned had done of the team. Each drawing was spot on with every detail. He knew he was letting Abby down by not being there for the Christmas movie in MTAC, but he had every intention of making it up to her. But before he could do that, he had a phone call to make.

He hadn't spoken to his father since they had been in Stillwater. He wasn't even sure if he was home, but…

"_Hello…?"_

"Hey… Dad."

"_Son? Is everything… okay?"_

"Yeah," Gibbs let out a gentle sigh. "Just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas."

_There was a long silence and then Jack let out a small sigh of relief. "Merry Christmas, son. You have plans?"_

"I do. Spending it with… friends. You?"

"_Yeah. Was at dinner with the Wilson's. You remember them?"_

"I do. Look dad, I don't have much time to chat now, but… I'll call you over the weekend."

"_I'd like that."_

Gibbs could hear the smile in his voice. "Take care."

"_You too."_

It wasn't much, but it was a start. He was saddened at the surprise in his father's voice over the call, but it only motivated him to make more of an effort. While his anger hadn't been misplaced, over the fact his father had brought a date to the girls' funeral, the anger had lasted too long.

He debated on going right home, waiting for Tony and Abby there, but the movie had only just started, and as much as he owed his father in making an effort, he owed it to Tony and Abby as well. The security guards looked at him curiously as he scanned his badge to get back in, but wisely said nothing. The movie was loud, so he slipped into MTAC unnoticed. Ziva, Tony and Abby sat in the front row, while Ducky, Jimmy and McGee sat in the second row. Ducky noticed him first, but kept quiet as Gibbs moved around the back and then came down the side to pick the chair beside Abby. She squealed happily making everyone else laugh. Tony glanced over and offered the large bowl of popcorn and Ducky slipped a small flask down the row.

It was a movie he'd seen more than enough, but with the way he could hear Tony quote almost the entire thing, it was worth the time he was able to relax. As the credits rolled, people started to excuse themselves.

"You came!" Abby wrapped her arms around him as the door closed behind Ducky, leaving the three alone.

Tony pulled the disk from the DVD player and approached, risking a quick kiss to Gibbs' cheek. "Thought you'd head home after dropping Ned off."

"Thought about it," he said. The _because I didn't want to be alone_ didn't need to be said.

Abby smothered a yawn against Gibbs' shoulder. "Can we go home now? I'm exhausted."

"I was thinking the same thing," Tony agreed. "I say we go home and crash. Make our own Christmas dinner tomorrow and open presents then."

"Sounds good."

The three headed to the squad room to pack up what they needed before heading back to Gibbs. They each had a car in the garage, so they split up and headed home. There were a few things to get done around the house, and although the mood was light, Gibbs could tell there was something weighing heavily on Abby's mind. He suspected it had to with the Quinn family.

"Abby…"

"I know I was wrong to push into their business, even though I was right in the end, but I was thinking… Gibbs, if I had one wish for myself, I would want to talk to my dad. I miss him every single day and you still have yours and I'm worried that you're wasting so much time, even though I know how he upset you and-"

"Abby-"

"No Gibbs, just listen… call him. Please. You don't have to be all sappy or anything like that, just… wish him a merry Christmas. Please, for me."

Gibbs stepped closer and pulled her into a hug, brushing his lips across her forehead. "I already called him."

"You did?" She looked up at him, her eyes wide.

"I understand Abbs, if I could have any wish, I'd want to hug my daughter again. Told Ned that. Realized that maybe my father had the same wish about me."

"So you called…" she murmured.

Gibbs nodded. "I did."

* * *

TBC

Hopefully not as long between chapters – been dealing with non-stop headaches and it really impedes my ability to focus.


	39. Chapter 39

Yikes – super sorry about the delay. Life has been busy at the least – health issues, crazy work schedule, etc etc. Anyway, thanks for sticking with it!

* * *

Taking a deep breath before getting out of her car, Abby mentally readied herself. She hated the hospital as much, if not more, than Gibbs. Every time one of the team ended up at the hospital, she had to remind herself that it was part of the job and that they would be okay. But when she got the call that Ducky had been stabbed, she hadn't been prepared.

She moved through the hospital until she found Palmer. He gave her all the technical information, reciting everything that the doctor had told him and then asked how she could be so calm.

"I can't freak every time one of you is in the hospital, otherwise I'll go to crazy town and you'll have to change my address." She turned to Gibbs hoping for a few more reassuring words, but just as he opened his mouth to speak, Ducky was wheeled out from surgery. She gnawed nervously on her lower lip as he slurred through a few words. The doctors laughed quietly, which put her at ease. No one else seemed worried, so it helped her to relax.

Once he was gone again, Gibbs pulled her into a hug. "He'll be okay."

"You promise?"

"Promise. But for now I need you to take a look at this," he handed her an evidence bag with the knife in it.

She nodded. "You'll stay with him?"

Gibbs smiled. He had no intention of leaving his friend unprotected. "Of course."

Since Jimmy had followed behind Ducky to his recovery room, Abby pressed up on her tip toes to kiss Gibbs in the middle of the hospital. "Give him my love when he's a bit more… aware."

"I will."

* * *

Abby wanted to cry as she sat curled up with Tony on the couch. Gibbs was sitting across from them, going into more detail on what had happened with Ducky back in Afghanistan. Tony already knew, but Abby hadn't heard. She had wanted to go to him, but Gibbs had told her to wait until the next day. He knew Jordan was spending some time with him, but that he would also need some time alone. As much as Abby's presence usually helped them, Ducky was already overwhelmed with emotion. He wasn't the most open and Gibbs knew he'd try to hold back for Abby's sake.

"You can go see him tomorrow," Gibbs reminded her. "Maybe bake some cookies?" When Abby was upset, the best was to keep her hands busy. If he could get her cooking or baking or _something_ she wouldn't sit around and worry. Working in the kitchen was a science to her and everything had to be exact.

Abby nodded. "That's a good idea, he really likes my nana's sugar cookies that I make at Christmas. I could make those. Oh!" she sat up and pulled away from Tony. "I could see if I could find a duck shape cookie cutter. He would love that!"

Tony held in a grin as he watched the wheels start to turn. "I'll go with you, we can bring back dinner."

Abby was already slipping back into her boots by the time Tony was done talking. It had been a long few days for Gibbs as well. Tony knew that he could use some time in the basement, but wouldn't take care of himself until he knew Abby was alright. By offering to go with her, he was giving Gibbs the chance to spend some time alone.

Gibbs was grateful for the time to process the events of the past few days. Tony and Abby weren't gone for long, but he could hear them busy in the kitchen, so he lingered in the basement. He knew Tony would get him if he was still worried about Abby, but by the sounds of their laughter, he knew they were fine.

* * *

"Tony, you've been spending a lot of time on the computer lately, whatcha doin?"

"Watching porn," Gibbs commented dryly, without missing a beat, holding Abby to his chest as she started to laugh and squirm away.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Now why would I watch porn when I've got two perfectly willing and able participants in my own _real life_ porn right here," he looked up from the computer and waved at them on the couch. "Nah, I'm just playing a game."

"Oh really, what…." Abby eyed him curiously as Tony closed his laptop and moved closer, eventually piling himself on top of his lovers.

"Nothing important."

"Speaking of important… I guess Timmy has met a special lady online."

"Oh really?" Tony said casually – too casually.

Gibbs looked thoughtful for a moment. "Good for him, it's time he found someone."

"Oh I know," Abby nodded.. "I just hope she's nice, you know? He's a good guy, but he needs a little help meeting people outside of NCIS."

"I could take him out sometime. Be his wingman."

"No." Gibbs and Abby said together.

"Geez-"

"If you go, you'll hog all the attention," Abby said honestly.

Tony shook his head. "Nah, I've got what I want here… why flirt elsewhere?"

Gibbs snorted and shifted to make himself a little more comfortable. "You flirt with anything that has legs and smiles at you."

"Not true." Tony leaned in a bit more to make the others just a bit uncomfortable. "Come on, let's get to bed."

"Agreed." Gibbs started to push them up.

Tony moved off first and hurried up the stairs. "First one naked in bed gets a blowjob!"

Gibbs waited until he heard Tony overhead. "He clearly doesn't know that McGee found him out, does he?"

Abby laughed. "Not yet. Tim told me he's going to get more and more clingy, talk about a future. Really put the pressure on until Tony cracks. My job is to keep talking about how happy I am that Timmy had fallen in love with someone."

"Brat," Gibbs grinned. "Just don't let it get in the way of work." He nudged Abby toward the stairs with a gentle pat to her ass.

* * *

"Abby!" Gibbs shouted over the loud music Abby was dancing to. He had left early to pick up Franks and hadn't seen her outfit for the day. Judging by the smile on Frank's face, the skirt was one of her shorter ones.

"Howdy darlin'" Mike Franks moved ahead of Gibbs for a hug.

"Franks! What are you doing here!" Abby threw her arms around him in a warm hug.

"Probie thinks I'm here helpin' him, but it's just an excuse to come see you." Their big grins were cut off by a giant Caf-Pow blocking their view of one another.

"Abbs, turn it down." Gibbs motioned to the stereo.

Abby sent a playful wink toward Mike and then turned to her computer. "This is so cool. Someone writes your service number on a roof and then you just show up? It's like sending out the bat signal and having batman show up. And his mentor!" As Abby rattled on, Gibb and Mike shared a confused glance. By the time they were done and headed back to the squad room Mike hadn't understood a word.

"She is somethin', isn't she? You get any of that?"

Gibbs smiled and nodded. "A bit. Let's see what the rest of the team has come up with."

"Things still going strong between you two? I'd assume so, with the way you damn near took my nose off with that drink you gave her."

"She's off limits, Mike." Gibbs answered gruffly.

"Hey now, you know I'd never…" They'd done their fair share of drunken flirting with the same women in Mexico, but it had only ever been a game. Gibbs hadn't been interested in bringing anyone back to Mike's cabin.

Gibbs nodded. "I know."

"She's cute though. Perky little…" at the look Gibbs gave him Mike stood a little straighter, "…personality."

* * *

Gibbs could see the questions in Tony's eyes as they worked the case. He had heard Tony and Ziva both bugging Mike for information on what had happened back in Columbia all those years ago, and he knew he owed Tony and explanation. The first few nights Mike was in town, Tony and Abby had stayed at her place while Gibbs went back to his own house with Mike. It was good to catch up with Franks and work together the way they'd done before, but crawling into his bed at night was lonely. The case was closed and Franks was gone. He had no idea if Tony and Abby were waiting for him at _home_ or if they'd gone back to her place again for the night.

It had torn him up inside, the way Tomas had insinuated that he saw him as a father figure. They had both been careful and danced around their words, but Gibbs had been clear that he wasn't his father. He had almost admitted that he had been sent to kill Tomas' father, but he decided against it. Instead his had given the young man his orders and sent him on his way.

Gathering up his things, Gibbs headed home. He drove home on auto-pilot, too tired to check Abby's place first. Letting out a relieved sigh at the sight of both Abby and Tony's cars parked out front, Gibbs hurried up the front step and into his house.

The house felt warmed than it had in days – partly due to the fact that Tony preferred to keep the heat a few degrees higher than Gibbs usually did, but mostly just due to their presence. He could always feel when they were in his house, even if there was no sign of them. Once the main floor was locked and the lights were out he headed slowly up the stairs. It wasn't long before he could hear their voices, Tony's soft murmur and Abby's gentle giggle. He hesitated before he opened the door, pushing it open slowly and gazing at the bed with a soft smile. Abby was leaning back against a pile of pillows wearing one of his old shirts. Tony was lying against her, the hem of the shirt pushed up so he could trace patterns over the smooth skin of her stomach. He didn't pay attention to the words that Tony was saying, but rather the happy smile on his face. He looked relaxed and whatever he was saying caused Abby to laugh again.

"Hey," he greeted them quietly, moving slowly into the bedroom.

"Hey boss," Tony grinned. "Mike went home, right? He's not…." His eyes went wide at the thought of Mike walking in on him and Abby in Gibbs' bed.

"He left this afternoon," he pulled his polo off and moved closer to the bed, leaning in to kiss them both before he headed for the bathroom to get ready for bed. Abby and Tony were waiting and as he approached the bed, Abby pushed back the covers for him.

The three of them settled, both men facing Abby. They were quiet for the moment as the darkness washed over them.

"He isn't my son."

"I didn't think-"

"We never said-"

"I know, but the way the case played out. The way Mike blew off your questions… he's not mine. I did know his mother, she helped me, but she was already pregnant. But I killed her husband. I killed Tomas' father."

Abby rolled toward him and buried her face against his neck. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Gibbs cupped her cheek in his hand and kissed her temple before pulling Tony in closer as well. "It was part of the job. He was a drug dealer and murderer. But I should have told you sooner how I knew him."

Tony wrapped them both in a hug and pushed his leg over Abby. "You were busy and we don't expect you to put a case on hold to fill us in on unimportant details. But we're glad you're telling us now."

* * *

Tbc…


	40. Chapter 40

Gah! I can't believe it's been so long. Life has been soooo crazy the last few weeks. Long story, but… I hope to post semi-regularly the next two weeks before I head out on vacation to see the wonderful Mark Harmon for a third year in a row (I'm happy-dancing, you just can't see it).

* * *

Abby glared at Tony as he tried to get information on the case. "Well, _Gibbs…_"

"No, Abbs…. Rule 38."

Abby thought for a moment and then broke out in a big grin. "Oh! Okay, well I found a partial print. It isn't perfect, but it gives me something to work with."

"Good." Though he wasn't Gibbs he did like the idea of kissing Abby in the lab the way the boss would. "Good work, Abbs." He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Wait, Tony?"

"Yeah?" Tony peeked back in the lab.

"He's uh… not going anywhere, right?"

Tony shook his head. "Nah, my case, my lead."

"Good luck!"

* * *

Gibbs fell into his role as team member rather than leaded easier than he expected. It was good to see how Tony led the group and he was impressed with the way Tony handled himself. There were a few moments where Tony needed a little regrouping, but he managed to reel himself back in and get control of the situation. He wasn't quite a full-time leader yet, but seeing the way he ran the case put Gibbs more at ease for whenever he needed DiNozzo to be in charge. "I'm proud of you," Gibbs said as the three sat at the dining table.

After seeing Renny at the airport and then casually claiming that he had missed him, Tony had requested pizza. It was exhausting being in charge, especially when everyone wanted to turn to Gibbs instead of him, but it was finally over and his name was clear. "Thanks, boss," Tony grinned around the pizza slice he'd brought to his mouth.

"You did good," Abby added. "Though you could've rule-quoted a little sooner."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Tony winced and reached out to cover her hand with his. "I was just caught up in being the boss again for a few days. Gladly willing to hand the reins back."

* * *

Gibbs tried to stay focused on the case as they set up camp for the night out in the wilderness. Sherriff Boyd didn't seem interested in endless chatter the way DiNozzo did, but Gibbs still wished they were alone so he could talk to Tony. He didn't know what Abby had never mentioned Agent Patterson. He wasn't concerned about her safety due to the case, there was nothing to connect him to Abby, but there were plenty of similarities between himself and Agent Patterson. He'd never overheard any conversation, but he could imagine her flirty tone as she discussed a case with him. Did she make Patterson smile the way she did him?

And DiNozzo… if he truly had that huge sum of money headed his way… would he stick around? There would be no reason for him to work with that kind of money and he couldn't see Tony hanging around in D.C. while his lovers worked.

He felt uneasy as he settled down for the night.

* * *

"Abby ever say anything to you about Patterson?"

Tony looked up from the magazine he was flipping through as they flew back to D.C. The soreness in his legs had mostly gone away after a good night's sleep and a long hot shower, but he could still feel it. "What?"

"Agent Patterson, he was coming to see Abby about that painting. She said they'd never met in person, but that they'd spoken often about cases. She ever mention him to you?"

Tony shook his head. "Well, I can't say for sure, but whenever Abby says she's been talking to someone about a case, it's always that scientific type stuff and I just sort of… fade out, you know? Why?"

Gibbs shrugged and glanced out the window. "Curious."

"Oh my God," Tony stuffed the magazine in the pocket of the seat in front of him and turned slightly in his seat. "Are you jealous?"

"Jealous?" Gibbs gave him an annoyed look. "I can hardly be jealous of a dead man."

Tony thought for a moment. "You're worried that she's moving on from us?"

Gibbs glared, but said nothing.

"Wow," Tony laughed. "That was pretty cute, actually. What next, you worried that my big pay out from my Uncle will send me packing too?" When Gibbs tensed briefly but said nothing, Tony realized he was spot on. "Wait, you do… don't you? I won't need to work, so I'll pack up and leave?" Tony risked his arm and reached out to tap the back of Gibbs' head. "That's the dumbest thing you've ever said."

"I didn't say anything."

"Whatever, dumbest thing you've ever implied." Tony glanced across the aisle of the plane and then leaned in closer to Gibbs. "I love you. I love Abby. I'm not going anywhere, even if I become a bajillionaire."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow, but rested his hand on Tony's knee reassuringly.

"Ok, I don't know how much longer I'd work when I could play basketball and watch movies all day, but if you two want to work a while longer, I'm not packing up without you. Though a summer home in Jamaica would be nice. You'd have to agree to take a vacation now and again. Doubt it'd take much convincing to get Abby to take time off. Hell, I could make her own private lab for her in the guest room."

"DiNozzo…"

"Right, I know… I need to talk to the lawyer first, but…. Don't worry, okay? I'm not going anywhere," Tony covered Gibbs' hand with his own. "And as for Abby… the way she looks at you when you aren't paying attention? I'm going to try and get a picture because it will squash any and all doubts you might have about how she feels about you. "

"I'm not worried."

Tony gave his hand a squeeze and then reached for the magazine again. "Right."

* * *

"I asked her to meet us for drinks at 8," Tony smiled proudly. "Told her I'd convinced you to put some effort into your outfit and try out this new jazz club. She was skeptical at first, but I told her that the owner was someone you knew and is a fellow Marine. She totally bought it."

Gibbs smiled and nodded. "Good." All of Abby's closest friends – many of whom worked at NCIS – were gathered at the jazz bar Tony had rented out in celebration of her birthday. Her birthday wasn't until the following day, so technically this would be the night Gibbs took her out for her pre-birthday dinner and drinks. Since it was a Friday, Vance had made sure that everyone except the team on duty and Abby were able to leave early. With the help of Ducky he'd asked her to run over some evidence from a cold case, hoping to keep her busy until 7:30.

Last Tony had heard was from Ducky saying he was just about to leave and Abby had another 20 minutes before she would be ready to head out.

"Jethro! I know this isn't quite your scene, but wonderful that you could make it out to support Abigail. She'll love having you here." Ducky smiled warmly. Tony was officially hosting the party, though Gibbs had made most of the behind the scene decisions.

The party goers milled about, grabbing drinks and chatting amongst themselves. Around 8 everyone start to get excited. The door man at the front of the club had been instructed to text Tony as soon as she arrived. He would meet her at the main bar and then escort her back to the privet room for her party. "Maybe I should call her…" Tony checked his watch. It was quarter past.

Gibbs shook his head. "I'll call NCIS security to see if she's left yet." Gibbs stepped into a quiet hall and made the call. Returning a few minutes later, shook his head. "She hasn't signed out. Go ahead and give her a call."

Tony headed outside and called Abby. "Abbs… drinks?"

"Oh! Tony! I've been meaning to call. That cold case… I think I've found something. You and Gibbs go ahead and have a drink, grab a bite. I'll try and get there as soon as I can, but… I have several more tests to set up."

"If it's a cold case, can't you do it later? Tomorrow?"

"Tony!" Abby sounded annoyed. "A girl lost her father. That family needs closure."

"Yeah, I know, but…"

Abby sighed. "I know, I hope I can get out before long. But this place is deserted. It's like we're on skeleton crew or something. There isn't anyone else in the office that knows how to set these tests. I'll hurry, I promise."

"Yeah, okay…" Tony hung up and went to find Gibbs. "Apparently she's got a lead on a cold case…the one Ducky and Vance asked her about. One that's been on the shelves since before any of us started here."

"Damnit." Gibbs pinched the bridge of her nose. "What else did she say?"

Tony shrugged. "She was getting the tests set up and would be here when she could, but…"

"You'd better make an announcement."

* * *

People hung around as long as they could, but as the food dwindled, so did the crowd until it was Gibbs and the team left.

"I'm afraid it's my fault. I've been looking over that cold case for years, never suspected she'd come up with anything."

Gibbs patted his shoulder. "It's okay, she'll be thrilled if we can close it."

Ziva glanced around at all the decorations. Most of the food was gone, though the cake hadn't been touched. "She will be sad to have missed this. Tony, you did a wonderful job of pulling this all together."

Tony glanced at Gibbs before grinning at Ziva. "It wasn't too hard to plan, lots of black and happy goth things. And candy," he nodded to the bowls of candy lining the bar.

"I meant, the idea of everyone coming together. Abby will appreciate the effort you put in to doing this for her."

Tony nodded and then frowned. "If only she was able to be here…"

"But since she's not, maybe you can leave out the part about me hacking into her computer to get her contacts…"

Tony was about to respond when his phone lit up with Abby's name. "Hey Abbs…"

"_Tony, I know it's late. You and Gibbs still at the bar or should I meet you at home? Everything is finally running, nothing else I can do here."_

"We're still here, you'll come join us?"

"_Yeah, I'm on my way!"_

"See you soon." Tony slipped his phone back into his pocket. "She's headed over now. Should we call and see if anyone can come back, or…?"

"Nah, go meet her out front and bring her back." Gibbs nodded toward the door.

They could hear Abby cheerfully describing the evidence she'd discovered before she was even in the room. "It was like… I've looked over this before, but that one little photo never clicked until…" Abby looked up at the rest of the team seated at a table full of decorations. "What are you…" Suddenly it dawned on her that they were birthday decorations. "What's this?"

Tony wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her temple. "We wanted to throw you a surprise birthday party…"

Gibbs watched as she looked around, her eyes wide. He could see the wheels turning as she realized most of the food had been eaten.

"But I ruined it…" her shoulders slumped forward. "I missed it because I choose to stay and work on that cold case."

Gibbs was the first to stand and pulled her into a hug. "You didn't know… whole point of a surprise party."

"But you should've given me a hint or… or something." Her chin quivered.

Ducky edged his way in and hugged her. "We wanted to celebrate you because of who you are. And that includes, putting an old cold case first. I assumed you'd not find anything new so that's why I asked you to look it over one more time. Imagine my surprise when you did!"

"People were very understanding, everyone knows how much you love your job and strive to do your best. They ate all the real food… but we've still got the cake. They are keeping it in the fridge in the kitchen." McGee tried to sound upbeat.

"And look," Ziva added, "people left a giant mound of presents. You are very well loved."

"Thanks guys," she sniffled slightly and then hugged them all.

"It's getting late, but surely we have time for some cake." Ducky said. "I'll go and fetch it. Ziva? Help an old man?"

"Of course," she followed him out of the room.

Gibbs had hoped that McGee would offer to help as well, giving him the space to speak a bit more openly, but instead McGee reached for the paper plates and forks and set them on the table. Ducky and Ziva carried the cake out and the small group sang happy birthday. Her eyes lit up and she directed their cheerful singing, the sparkle returning to her eyes.

"You guys… this is just… I can't believe you did this. For me!" She blew out the candles and clasped her hands together. "I just made the best wish ever."

Tony smirked and kicked Gibbs under the table. "I'm sure it'll come true."

"Me too," she answered smugly. Despite it being her birthday party, Abby was giddy to share about the extra info she managed to pull from the evidence. It was almost as if they were gathered around the evidence table with the way they all chatted about work. "You know," she said after a brief few moments of silence. "I'm sad that I missed everyone else, but there isn't a group of people I'd rather spend my birthday with. Thank you."

"Everyone else was disappointed too, but we're happy we got to spend it with you as well," Ziva smiled.

* * *

"You guys…" Abby had beaten them back to Gibbs' house and had been pacing his living room while waiting for them to arrive. Tony was the first to step over the threshold and soon found himself with an arm full of Abby. "I can't believe you guys did that for me!"

"It was all the big guy," Tony spun around and set her back on her feet, nudging her toward Gibbs.

"Gibbs!"

"You're not mad we didn't get to do pre-birthday dinner?" Gibbs wrapped her in a tight hug and kissed the side of her neck.

"I felt horribly guilty that I was working late. When Tony said something about drinks, I figured it'd be the three of us and then… well, I didn't want you to think I was blowing you off because it's something we've done every year and…"

Gibbs cut her off with a quick kiss and nip to her lower lip. "Hard to keep a secret from you. DiNozzo almost blabbed a few times," he grinned.

"I did not," Tony scoffed. "Gibbs was the one freaking out about planning it."

"Freaking out?" Abby asked, her brows arched.

"It was the night we asked you not to come over," Gibbs confessed. "Tony was freaking out because you went out with some friends."

"Wait, _that's_ why you asked me not to come over?" Abby sighed. "I was certain that you had realized that after four months with just me, you thought it was a mistake and that you wanted Tony." Abby scowled for a brief moment. "I was such a fool."

"And I thought you were going to leave us because we pushed you away," Tony confessed. "But now we're past that, so can we go to bed? Someone needs their birthday snuggles…."

TBC…


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter Forty One. **

"I think that was a record," Tony propped himself up on an elbow and wiped the sweat from his brow as he grinned at Gibbs.

Gibbs laughed and gathered Abby against his side, brushing her bangs aside to kiss her forehead. "You still with us?"

"No." Abby shuddered pressed her cheek to Gibbs' chest, the steady sound of his heart beat helping her to slow her own breathing. "I'm never going to walk again," she chuckled.

"We weren't _too_ rough, were we? It's your birthday, and we wanted it to be special." Tony snuggled in close, spooning up behind her.

"I can't even count how many times I…" when Tony's fingers ghosted over her nipples, she grabbed his hand and tucked it around her waist instead. "Too sensitive."

"Aww," Tony peppered the side of her neck and shoulders with kissed. "You're fucking gorgeous when you come apart like that. Not that you're not gorgeous any other time, but… wow."

"Tony's right," Gibbs added, tilting her face to his for a kiss. They had spent hours making sure they drained every ounce of energy she had, giving her repeat orgasms until she couldn't move. In the end she felt drugged, her body floating on intense emotion and pleasure. "Sleep now, we're not going anywhere."

* * *

"You look pretty good for a dead guy, except for the blood draining out of your face. Tom, right? That's your real name, isn't it?"

"What did I do wrong?"

"You made me care about you."

"You're under arrest," McGee interrupted, "for the murder of nurse Hannah Dunstan."

"That is correct," Tony added. "And many, many other bad things. Because you are a very, very bad man."

"Little tip," McGee started again, "next time you're playing chess with a forensic specialist…"

"Wear gloves," Gibbs inserted, stepping up to rest his hand on Abby's shoulder. He hated to see her hurt because she was quick to care about someone. It was one of the things he loved most about her – the way she was so easily able to see the best in people.

There was a bit more back and forth and as McGee went to cuff King Abby gave one last disgusted look and turned away. Gibbs was tempted to follow after her, but she'd driven her own car over and no doubt wanted some time alone. He watched his team work together, bringing King in to NCIS and setting him up for interrogation. He decided to let Tony and McGee ask the questions as he watched from the other side of the glass.

It was almost two hours before they were able to head out.

"You think she's back at your place? I checked her lab and tried calling her again, but…" Tony shrugged as they waited for the elevator to bring them to the parking garage.

Gibbs nodded. "I tried calling too."

"She was pretty upset." Tony dug his keys out of his pocket and leaned in for a quick kiss before the elevator opened. "I'll see you at home."

* * *

"Where have you been!?" Tony was waiting just inside the door at Gibbs' house.

Gibbs shrugged out of his jacket and hung it up. "Swung by the church."

"The church?"

"Yep." Gibbs nodded. "Abby is busy with the sisters."

"Oh," Tony let out a deep sigh. "I guess working at the church is a bit like Abby's version of your basement. You talk to her? She okay?"

"Nah, Rosita had her busy. Just wanted to make sure she's okay. Rosita will send her home once she's done." Gibbs headed for the coffee machine, smiling when he realized that Tony had already started it. He poured two cups and carried them to the living room. Tony was already sprawled across the sofa, flipping through the channels. Gibbs nudged him aside and dropped down to sit beside him, offering him a cup of hot coffee, perfectly sweetened to Tony's standards.

"She's always so trusting and loving, and while I love that… it makes it so easy for her to get hurt." Tony took a sip of his coffee and set the cup down on the coffee table so he could lean into Gibbs. "And I hate seeing her hurt."

"Me too." Gibbs sipped his coffee quietly.

"Now I can see why you prefer she works in her lab only rather than working elsewhere."

Gibbs wrapped an arm around Tony's shoulders and pulled him into his side. "It's easier when I can keep an eye on you two and I know she's safe at NCIS even when we're not around. I know everyone else will keep an eye on her when we can't."

Tony shifted and turned to wrap his arm across Gibbs' chest. He watched as Gibbs took another sip of coffee and then took the cup from his hand and placed it on the coffee table. As soon as the coffee was out of the way, he pulled Gibbs into a gentle kiss. "I love you. And I love when you get all protective of our girl."

"Glad she's able to work out her anger in a constructive way. Was gonna ask if she wants to go a round or two in the gym."

"That wouldn't be fair to McGee…" Tony laughed and nipped at Gibbs' lower lip. "Because you _know_ she'd have him on the ground in 30 seconds. She was pissed."

Gibbs chuckled against Tony's mouth, "I wasn't gonna put her in the ring with McGee, was gonna put her in with you."

Tony pulled away, an exaggerated pout on his face.

Gibbs shifted so that he was stretched out with Tony laying over him. "I'm sure she'd go easy on you," he slipped his hand down over Tony's ass. "She wouldn't do anything to jeopardize this…" he gave Tony's ass a firm squeeze.

Tony shifted and then looked up at Gibbs. "Is thinking of Abby and I in the gym turning you on?" He shifted again and felt the tell-tale sign of Gibbs' growing arousal.

"The two of you always turn me on." Gibbs grunted under the shift in Tony's weight.

"Well in that case…" Tony shifted down until he was situation between Gibbs' legs. It took a little pulling, but soon he had Gibbs' belt open and his boxer-briefs pushed down enough to Gibbs him some room. It only took a few light touches before Gibbs was fully erect. It wasn't often that they fooled around downstairs; the couch wasn't big enough for them to do much more than make out. Tony grinned before going down on Gibbs, watching as Gibbs' head fell back against the arm of the couch. He grabbed hold of the pillow, his knuckles turning white as he groaned.

With the couch so relatively small, this was more about getting Gibbs off than time and finesse. The older man deserved a bit of pleasure so that he could relax before Abby arrived and he fell back into his role as protector and returned his focus into making sure she was okay.

Tony could tell that Gibbs was almost ready to let go. He hummed and pressed his tongue to the slit before sucking on the head just the way Gibbs liked. Just as Gibbs felt his release begin to explode, the front door knob twisted and the front door started to open.

Tony yelped and pulled away and Gibbs pushed the pillow over his groin. It was too late to stop his orgasm, and he spilled all over the pillow.

Abby stood in the doorway with a hand covering her mouth, trying to smother a laugh. "Oh my God…"

"Jesus Christ," Gibbs groaned.

"I didn't hear your car!" Tony fell back against the couch and started to laugh.

"You should've locked the door." Abby shut the door behind her and then leaned against it as she started to laugh harder.

Gibbs growled as he tucked himself away and then got up. He frowned at the mess he'd made on the pillow and stripped the pillowcase off, taking it to the laundry room. When he returned, Abby was still laughing, her back pressed to the door, her arms wrapped around her stomach as she struggled to breathe. Tony on the other hand was still on the couch, curled up as he too tried to control his laughter. "You okay?" Gibbs reached around her to deadbolt the door and then pulled her into a hug as her laughter subsided.

"Yeah, I'm alright." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "How about you?"

"I think you've scared him off any future blow jobs on the couch." Tony inserted before Gibbs could answer.

"Should've locked the door," Abby patted Gibbs' cheek gently and then started to take off her coat. She smiled as Gibbs helped her and then slipped out of her boots.

Tony shrugged. "We figured you'd be over at some point tonight, so no point in locking up yet. The other part was sort of a spur of the moment thing…"

"Imagine if it had been-"

"No!" Gibbs stopped her from completing her train of thought. Gibbs grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the couch. "Have you had anything to eat?"

"Not really hungry…"

Gibbs nodded and turned toward the kitchen. They still had some leftovers from the night before. He wouldn't force her to eat a lot, but she needed something. He headed back out a few minutes later with a tray. All the leftover Chinese food was headed up and separated into three bowls. Abby was lying with her head in Tony's lap and they were talking quietly about King and how he had lied to her. Tony had taken her pigtails down and was gently running his fingers through her hair. Before making his presence known, he stood in the doorway to listen.

"I can't believe I cared about him…"

Tony leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "That's what makes you… _you.._. and I love it. I'm sorry that people misuse your trust, but it's how deep down, I know you'll love me no matter what mistakes I manage to make in this relationship. It makes me feel safe and secure in this relationship."

Gibbs smiled. He felt the same way. There was something about her and the way that she loved them so unconditionally that made he feel like they could survive whatever problems managed to pop up. No matter what, Abby had made it clear that she would always love them. Unlike in past relationships, Gibbs never spent a night awake wondering if they truly loved him. "Don't ever feel bad or apologize for who you are." He interrupted and set the tray on the coffee table. He helped Abby up so she was sitting and then handed her a bowl before taking his own and sitting across from them.

"Thanks guys." Abby nudged Tony with her shoulder and smiled at Gibbs. "And sorry for… ruining earlier," she grinned.

Gibbs chuckled and shook his head.

"You didn't ruin anything for him…" Tony tilted his head toward Gibbs. "Me, on the other hand…" he looked down at his groin. "You killed it," he said, referring to his erection.

"All you did was make sure Tony didn't make a mess of his pants, he should be thanking you." Gibbs teased.

"Aww," Abby cupped Tony's cheek in her hand. "I could make it up to you…" she waited until Tony set his food aside and then reached for his zipper. "Unless I really _killed _it and then…" she started to pull away but Tony stopped her. "Tony?"

"You probably owe me…" He pulled her into his lap so that she was straddling him and then pulled her into a kiss, enjoying the warmth of her body before urging her to continue with her original plan.

Gibbs wasn't quite ready to go again, but he set the last of his food aside and rubbed himself over his slacks. As much as he loved being involved, watching his lovers together was satisfying it a different way.

Abby slipped off of his lap and knelt between his knees. She worked the zipper down and then tugged his pants and boxers down to his ankles to give herself more room. She leaned forward to take him in her mouth when she suddenly pulled away again. "Wait, is the door locked?" She gave him a cheeky grin when he rolled his eyes. "Just making sure."

Tony groaned as Abby took him between her lips. The skill that she possessed was something he would never understand. He was convinced that she could do magical things with her tongue.

It didn't take long before they were both squirming – Tony desperately trying to remain somewhat in control so that he wasn't too rough, and Abby searching for any kind of friction, Tony's moans making her wet without even being touched.

Gibbs sat with hooded eyes. The memory of his own blow job and the sight in front of him had him itching to be involved somehow. Eventually his control snapped. Neither Tony nor Abby knew he moved until they heard the coffee table being moved aside. He knelt behind Abby, wrapping one arm around her middle, his other hand moving between her legs.

Abby cried out around Tony's cock as Gibbs touched her. The added intensity of Abby's mouth pushed Tony over the edge and he spilled over her tongue. He pulled out and spilled the last few drops across her lips. As soon as Tony pulled out from between her lips, Gibbs' fingers worked double time between her legs. Within moments her body arched and she pressed her head back on Gibbs' shoulder as she contracted around his fingers.

He turned her face toward him for a kiss, chasing the taste of Tony around her mouth.

They all remained silent for a bit, enjoying the surge of pleasure without feeling the need to speak. Eventually Gibbs spoke first. "My knees can't take the floor much longer. How about a quick shower and then bed? We could all use some sleep."

Tony was up first, giving Gibbs a hand up and then Abby. As soon as she was on her feet, he scooped her up and carried her toward the stairs. "I'll get the mess in the morning," Tony nodded to their dishes.

"I got it," Gibbs motioned for them to head on up. "Make sure the water is nice and warm."

* * *

"Whatever you do, don't mention marriage or divorce. He's not all that into sports, so you can't really talk about that. But then again neither are you… oh, don't talk about the latest technology, he won't care about that either and…. Well, I'm sure you'll figure out something." Tony patted McGee on the back and then turned back to his desk. He hated that he wasn't going with Gibbs to L.A., but he understood why Gibbs didn't take him. The last time they were in L.A. they lost Jenny, no doubt Gibbs didn't want him to relive that ordeal.

Gibbs had held in a smile as he heard Tony badgering the younger agent as he headed toward the lab to talk to Abby. He would've preferred to have DiNozzo watching his back, but he didn't want to deal with the memories of Jenny and even more so, he didn't want Tony discovering just how much Macy knew of his dark past.

He approached Abby's lab with caution. There was no doubt that she had put two and two together that _someone _would be headed to L.A. And no doubt she assumed it would be him.

"You know her, don't you?" It wasn't so much a question, but rather, a statement.

Gibbs nodded.

"She wants all of my findings about Chandler." Abby hesitated. "She's okay to send things too, right?"

Again he nodded. "We worked together long ago. Haven't seen or heard from her in years."

Abby attempted a smile. Of course Gibbs would try to reassure her about his professional relationship with Macy rather than about the case. "I'll get things to her ASAP."

"I'll call you later," Gibbs leaned in for a kiss to the cheek – it was the most he could offer at work.

Abby nodded. "I'm worried Gibbs, last time NCIS went to L.A. someone didn't come back."

Gibbs smiled warmly as he started to back toward the door. "I'll bring McGee home in one piece."

"Bring yourself home, too."

* * *

TBC…

Yay, season finale tonight! Super excited!


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter Forty two**

"Gibbs…" Abby hurried forward to wrap her arms around him in a tight hug. He'd called to let her know that he and McGee were headed home in one piece, but seeing him with her own eyes was the only thing to convince her that he was really okay. "How's Callan?" She looked up at him with wide eyes.

"He's hangin' in."

"He'll be okay?"

Gibbs nodded. "How about you? You and Tony haven't had parties at my house every night, have you?" He tried to lighten the mood, but it didn't work.

"Gibbs, we've gotta talk…" she glanced around, "privately."

Gibbs frowned. "Can it wait until we go home tonight?"

She shook her head. "No, it's about Tony."

Gibbs thought for a moment. "Coffee?" It wasn't often that he brought her along to pick up coffee and a caf-pow, but since he'd been gone for a few days, he figured no one would be too suspicious.

"Yeah." Abby hung up her lab coat and grabbed a light jacket instead. She linked her arm through his and together they headed for the elevator. They passed through the squad room and Abby smiled wide at the look on McGee's face as he tried to take down all her decorations.

"Gibbs…?" Ziva started.

"We'll be back soon. Anyone else need coffee?" Gibbs tried to hide the concern on his face. It wasn't often that Abby pulled him aside with concern for Tony. Usually if she was concerned about something she'd make a quick comment in the elevator and then corner Tony at home to work things out. This was different, he could tell. This was bigger.

Once they had their drinks, they found a table in a quiet corner and sat down. Gibbs wished he could be more open with his affection, but they were still on the Navy Yard and he didn't want to risk anything.

"I'm worried about Tony. I mean, I'm worried about Ziva too… but with Michael Rivkin something isn't right. And I'm worried that Tony might take things too far. He's protective of the team, especially since we lost Kate and then Jenny, but… She knows more than she's telling us, Tony had me do some digging and we found out about Rivkin's connection to her father long before she admitted to knowing him. Gibbs, this is big… I'm scared he's going to get hurt. I trust Ziva, but I don't trust Rivkin. He was supposed to arrive in Tel Aviv, but he had a layover here in D.C. I've confirmed that he made the flight to D.C., but there is no confirmation that he's in Tel Aviv."

Gibbs thought for a moment. "Not much we can do right now."

"I'll keep an eye on him. Not much we can do now."

* * *

Abby wasn't sure what to do. Gibbs was talking to SecNav in the basement and Tony had left work to go check on Ziva. She knew she didn't have a famous gut like Gibbs, but she was sure something bad was about to happen. She had to stay away from Gibbs' until SecNav headed home, and Tony wasn't answering his cell, so she circled though town and headed back to NCIS. She was just about to park when her cell rang. "Gibbs?"

"My house, now. Wait there until I get back."

"Gibbs?"

"Don't have time to talk. Abby, please…"

"Should I call Tony?"

"Just go back to my place and wait."

Abby was numb as she drove to Gibbs' place, unsure of what had happened. As expected, the house was empty, though he'd left the light on for her and the coffee was warm. She tried to flip channels and then checked her email – continuously refreshing her NCIS work mail to see if there were any clues as to what Gibbs was doing. When that didn't work, she started to pace, talking aloud to herself, running over everything that could go wrong.

* * *

Gibbs rushed through the hospital until he saw Tony leaning back against the wall as he waited for information on Rivkin's condition. "Tony…" He jogged forward and grabbed Tony's arm, the closest to a sign of affection. "Are you okay?"

Tony nodded. "It was Rivkin, he killed Tabal and Agent Sherman. I went to arrest him, but he started to fight…"

Gibbs nodded. "Write it up." He looked up as Ziva approached.

"He is dead." Ziva stated coldly.

* * *

When the front door opened and Tony came in, followed by Gibbs, Abby froze. "Oh thank God, you're okay!" She rushed them both and wrapped an arm around the both of them. "Gibbs you had me so scared…" she trailed off at the strained looks on both of their faces. "Guys… what's wrong?"

"It wasn't my fault, I didn't…" Tony started.

"Look at me," Gibbs wrapped a hand around the back of his neck, "I know."

"Tony?"

Tony shook his head and turned to go upstairs. "I need a shower."

Abby watched him go and then spun around to look at Gibbs. "What happened?"

"He killed Rivkin."

Abby's eyes went wide.

"He went to Ziva's apartment…"

"I know, he was going to go talk to her because the laptop showed it was online at her place while she was here at work."

"Ziva wasn't there, Rivkin was. They fought and Tony shot him."

"How's Ziva..?"

"Upset, hurt… I'm not sure." Gibbs nodded to the stairs. "He shouldn't be alone, I've got some phone calls to make."

Abby was halfway to the stairs before Gibbs' finished. She hurried up to find Tony sitting on the edge of the bed, his head cradled in his hands. "Oh Tony…"

"He was using her," he looked up. "I went to tell her what we found with the laptops, but he was there. He accused me of going to comfort her, like I want to sleep with her…"

"It's okay, you were only trying to help her." Abby sat beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"We fought and he fell on her coffee table. It shattered and stuck in his side. He pulled it out and came for me. I was on the ground. All I could do was pull my gun and shoot."

"You're okay now…" She peppered a few kisses to his forehead and then moved to her feet. "Come on, let's get you in the shower. Gibbs will be up soon." She took his hands in hers and tugged him toward the bathroom. Once inside she started the water, making the shower hot, but not scalding. Tony was half-heartedly working at his belt, so she pushed his hands away and stripped him down with practiced ease. She encouraged him under the hot spray and then undressed herself and stepped in behind him. She wasn't surprised that he let her take over. She moved quickly as she soaped him up and washed his hair, but took the time to reassure him with gentle kisses and soft touches. In the end, they stood together under the hot spray, their arms wrapped around each other until the water started to cool.

* * *

Abby hated when the guys went anywhere without her, but this was even worse. Not fully understanding why they had to go to Israel left her worried and on edge. Ducky, McGee and Palmer all tried their best to put her at ease, but she couldn't help but worry.

"Relax my dear, think of it this way… they aren't there to find anyone, it's strictly… office work," Ducky tried to sooth.

"But what if they think Tony is some cold-blooded killer? What if he never comes back?"

"You think Gibbs would let that happen?" Ducky hadn't been oblivious over the past few years. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something had changed for Gibbs. He had long considered his team part of his family – Ducky was well aware of that. But if he really thought about it, Gibbs had changed dramatically where Tony was concerned. Bringing himself back to the conversation, Ducky sighed and wrapped Abby in a warm hug.

She shook her head. "No, but it's different. They aren't home, they aren't even on US soil."

"Vance has a bit of pull with Eli David, I'm sure things will be fine."

"I hope you're right."

* * *

Tony looked as though he hadn't slept in days, but he Gibbs watched as a genuine smile spread across his face for the first time since Rivkin had been in town.

"Abbs…"

Abby threw her arms around Tony's neck in a tight hug as he stepped out of the elevator. "Tony, I missed you!"

"Missed you too," he hugged her again and buried her nose in her hair, inhaling deeply, a move uncharacteristic of him in public, though hardly noticed by Ducky or McGee as they looked to Gibbs.

Abby held him tight, brushing her lips against his cheek as she pulled away. Next she turned to Gibbs and hugged him just as tight, burrowing into his arms for a brief moment, glad she wasn't going to be sleeping alone again. "Where's Ziva?"

Tony shook his head. "She's not coming back."

"She's… not?" Abby looked from Tony to Gibbs and back to Tony. She knew things had been tense, but they were her family now, she couldn't just abandon them. "But she didn't even say goodbye."

Tony didn't know what to say or how to explain it. He hated that he was part of the reason their NCIS family was falling apart. He didn't regret killing Rivkin to save himself, but he couldn't help but feel partly responsible for everything. If he had only waited for Gibbs… "I'm sure she'll call you, she wasn't upset with you, Abbs."

"I didn't let her look at any of the evidence from her apartment after it exploded…" her shoulders drooped.

"No," Tony picked up her hand and laced their fingers together, ignoring the curious look from Ducky. "She wasn't angry with you over that, she knows the rules. Just give her some time, I'm sure she'll call."

Ducky was fascinated as he watched the interaction. Nothing between Gibbs and Abby surprised him. He was more surprised that nothing had blossomed between them in the 10+ years they'd been working together. But this behavior between Tony and Abby was different. They'd always been close, but it was a similar closeness and understanding he'd seen between Gibbs and Tony over the past year or so.

* * *

Abby tried for weeks to contact Ziva. Email, phone, snail mail to Eli David's office – and still she'd heard nothing. "This isn't like her Tony. I… I get that she was angry with you and might want… _space_, but it's not like her to completely cut us all out of her life. It's been two months!"

"I know," Tony wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "She'll contact us when she's ready."

* * *

Tony couldn't help but feel guilty. There was a difference in Abby – every time one of them walked into her lab, she looked like she was expecting them to have found Ziva. They rarely talked about it at home and their domestic lives were fairly normal, but work was tense.

Ready to take Abby to lunch for a break, he was surprised to see her dancing around with McGee. He knew he had no real reason to be jealous, but he couldn't help that it was the first place his mind went when he saw them together. While McGee didn't know about their relationship, he had no doubt that if McGee thought he had a chance, he'd take it. "What are you kids up too?"

Abby spun around with a big grin on her face. "We hacked into Mossad's encrypted files!" She started singing a song, echoed by McGee. "Ziva boarded a Jordanian freighter out of the Horn of Africa, but we lost track of it."

Before Tony can get his hopes up, Gibbs strides in behind them. "The freighter went down in a storm on the 28th. There were no survivors."

* * *

TBC…

Off on a three week road trip (to see Mark Harmon). Next chapter is just about finished, so shouldn't be but a day or two (depending on internet connections).


	43. Chapter 43

Safe in OKC (despite Tornado warnings – what is this, Oklahoma, pull yourself together!) so as a reward, have a super long chapter. Also, if you read this in the first few hours after this is posted, I'm liking in a room with the man (Mark Harmon) himself, so…. Be jelly. ;)

* * *

"So how much of the plan _exactly_ does Abby know?" Tony leaned his head back against the headrest. Tony had refused to believe that Ziva was gone. Between a little hard work and luck, they'd found the group responsible for Ziva's supposed death and that she was being held captive. After months of interviewing replacements, Tony had grown tired of trying to replace her with someone new. He'd put his foot down and was surprised when Gibbs seemed to be okay with the idea of bringing her home. They had a vague plan, though they were mostly playing by ear. He was surprised that the director had put them on a real flight as far as Frankfurt before they had to fly military supply planes.

"Not much, she knows we're going to get Ziva." It was less than twelve hours between getting the okay from Vance to when they were in the air.

Tony winced. "She's gonna be pissed, you know." He hated that things had moved so quickly, but it was probably for the best. If Abby knew exactly what they were doing, she'd never had let them leave.

"Let's just worry about coming back in one piece for her to be pissed at," Gibbs' hand dropped to Tony's knee and gave it a squeeze before pulling away.

"Yeah," Tony agreed. "But still, she's going to be pissed as hell."

"I know."

* * *

"Maybe we can do some duty-free shopping at the airport in Frankfurt?" Tony splashed water on his face and then turned to Gibbs. "They sell expensive jewelry, right?" They were cleaning up in the men's room while both Ziva and McGee were being looked over by a doctor. Tony had been seen by the doctor before McGee to make sure whatever he had been injected with was out of his system, and with the all-clear, he'd been released with Gibbs to get cleaned up.

"I don't think expensive anything will make Abby any less angry."

"Aren't you worried?"

Gibbs gave a slight nod, "I'm hoping that having Ziva with us will soften the blow. But Tony?"

"Yeah?"

"Be prepared to be bowling with nuns every Wednesday for a month."

Tony sighed and a frown formed on his extremely chapped lips. "But they are so clingy when I bowl with them."

"Better you than me," Gibbs smiled and ran his hand through Tony's hair. The nuns used to be the same way around him when Abby managed to talk him into bowling with them. But ever since they'd gotten to know Tony, their focus had shifted toward the younger man. And with Tony's usual charm, he hadn't done himself any favors. He leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss to Tony's temple and then pulled away. "Let's go see if McGee and Ziva are done so we can get out of here."

* * *

The flight back to the US had been quiet and uneventful. Gibbs had sat beside Ziva and held her hand. Not knowing even half of what she had been through, he could only imagine the physical and mental pain she was in. She wasn't interested in talking and Gibbs knew better than to try and push.

It was obvious that there were things that still needed to be said between Ziva and Tony to clear up everything that had happened before, but Ziva seemed grateful for his help, so not all hope for a happy team was lost. In the beginning of the flight Gibbs could hear Tony and McGee chatting in the row ahead, but soon everyone drifted off to sleep for their long flight home.

Tony was visibly tense during the car ride to NCIS and he couldn't stand still as they rode the elevator up to the squad room. He wasn't sure what sort of shape Abby would be in. He hadn't spoken to her since before he left, and it had been Gibbs that discovered both Ducky and Abby had been invited to listen in to MTAC during the rescue operation.

The elevator doors opened and Gibbs stepped out and urged Ziva to follow, McGee and Tony right behind her.

There was an audible gasp from Abby as she rushed forward to hug Ziva, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Everyone else in the squad room came to a halt and when Vance began clapping, everyone else joined in.

"Ziva…" Abby pulled back to look at her, wincing at the massive bruising covering her face. "We should get you down to Ducky."

"I have already seen a doctor." All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sleep.

"Please?"

It didn't matter that every part of her ached, the look on Abby's face had her agreeing. "Okay."

Abby wrapped an arm around the other woman's shoulders and walked her to the back elevator, ignoring the looks from Tony and Gibbs. She was beyond thankful that they were home safe, but _going to pick up Ziva _was very different from _going to get oneself captured to hopefully rescue Ziva. _In fact, theywere two very different stories. She needed the chance to come off the adrenaline rush before she could face them with any hopes of a decent conversation.

Ducky was ready for them when they arrived, pulling Ziva into a gentle hug. "So, uh, I'll leave you two alone then, call me if you need _anything_, okay?"

"I do not have a phone, Abby."

"You can call her from my place, should you need her. I'm bringing you home with me." Ducky said firmly.

"I can't-"

"You're in no position to look after yourself at the moment, my dear. And you have no apartment. I won't permit you to stay at a hotel. You need someone to keep an eye on you," he held up a hand when she tried to interrupt, "while you heal. I'll give you some space, but you shouldn't be alone."

When Ziva nodded, Abby smiled and leaned in to kiss Ducky's cheek. "Call me if you need anything, either of you." She looked over Ziva one last time, and then, finally believing that she really was home safely, she left.

* * *

Tony and Gibbs were ready to leave within an hour. McGee had already packed up and left, and Gibbs was just waiting for Abby to come up so the three of them could go home, sort things out and then curl up for the next few days. It was only Wednesday, but Vance had given them until Monday to relax after their rescue.

"Come on, let's go get Abby and get out of here."

"Wait, isn't there a gift store somewhere-"

Gibbs cut him off with a gentle headslap. "You're not buying your way out of this."

Tony rubbed the back of his head and frowned as they stepped into the elevator. "Yeah yeah, I know. I just want her wrath over with. I want to go home and snuggle and eat pizza."

"Me too," Gibbs sighed. "Me too."

The elevator opened and then headed for the lab only to find it empty.

"She's probably with Ducky and Ziva. I haven't seen them leave yet."

They were silent as they took the elevator to autopsy, but pleased to find the lights still on. The doors opened and the two men strode in. Ziva was sitting at Ducky's desk sipping a cup of tea, a blanket around her shoulders and Ducky was packing up a few medical supplies to bring home with him so he could tend to her wounds. "Hello gentlemen, wonderful to have you back safe and sound, and that you managed to bring Ziva home as well."

"Hey Duck, you seen Abby?"

"She left almost an hour ago," Ziva answered before Ducky could speak.

"We must've missed her," Tony said quietly and turned for the door, not waiting for Gibbs.

Gibbs followed him as he headed for the stairs rather than the elevator, his pace quick and determined. "Hey. Hey!" Finally Tony stopped and turned to wait for Gibbs. "Tony, relax. We knew she'd be upset, she probably just headed out to get a little fresh air before we get home."

"I hope you're right," Tony sighed and then continued up the stairs. "Let's get our stuff and get out of here."

Gibbs nodded and they went to their desks to grab their stuff and then headed out to their cars. They met back at Gibbs place and were surprised that Abby's car was nowhere in sight. Gibbs scrubbed his hand over his face – maybe this was a little more serious than he thought. They carried their bags inside and then headed back out to Gibbs' car and headed to Abby's apartment.

"Boss, her car isn't here…"

"Let's just check." They hurried up to her door and let themselves in with the key she'd given them long ago. Her apartment was empty with no sign that she had been there recently. Despite being worried, Gibbs was amused that he had stayed at his house even when he and Tony had been gone. "Alright, check your place?"

"Yeah."

Gibbs drove them to Tony's apartment while Tony tried calling her cell. It went right to voicemail and even though they weren't surprised, both were annoyed at not being able to get ahold of her. Tony left a quick voicemail asking her to call at her earliest convenience."

* * *

"Where have you been! We've been all over looking for you, your apartment, my apartment… where have you-" Tony was up off the couch in an instant when Abby closed the door behind her almost two hours after both men returned home.

Abby spun around and shouted back. "Where have I been? I've been with the nuns, thankfully Rosita had some chores she needed help with so that I could keep busy so that I didn't come back here and kill you myself!"

Gibbs watched as Tony's shoulders dropped in defeat before he continued – his voice much softer than before. "Abby…"

"No, Tony, you don't get to _Abby_ me. Not this time. You guys told me you were going to go _get_ Ziva, there was nothing in that conversation about _oh hey, McGee and I are going to get ourselves kidnapped so Gibbs can save us all._ And no offense Gibbs, because I'm pretty sure you could take down the whole Taliban if you tried, but these were terrorists you were dealing with. _Ter-ror-ists_. They have no qualms about killing anyone, at any time. And I had the privilege of listening in to the backup crews up in MTAC, so I heard every _fucking_ thing they said. Including about you getting the shit kicked out of you and Timmy being on the floor. So no, you don't get to _Abby _me. And neither do you," she held up her hand when Gibbs opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't be mad," Tony pouted.

"Don't be mad? Are you fucking kidding me right now?"

"Okay, be mad, just don't kill me in my sleep, okay?" Tony's attempt to lighten the mood didn't work.

"I just… I'm glad you all are home safe, but I can't… I'm going to bed, goodnight." Abby turned and headed up the stairs without another word.

Tony watched her leave with a frown and then turned to Gibbs. "She's staying the night, that's a good thing, right?"

Gibbs reached out and squeezed the back of Tony's neck and pulled him in for a kiss. "Yeah, that's good. We've just got to let her cool down. And hey, you survived a terrorist and an angry Abby. That's an accomplishment."

"Let's not celebrate just yet, we don't know if we'll wake up tomorrow or not."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "She's a formidable opponent, but we're lucky she loves us. We'll be okay. Just a little bump in the road." He and Shannon had had their own fair share of bumps. It was part of any healthy relationship.

"I know, it's just not how I wanted our first night back to be. I mean, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm too physically exhausted for sex, but I still want… her, you know?" Tony leaned into Gibbs, but pulled a pillow to his chest. "It's been a long few days."

"I know."

They settled in for pizza and some old movie that Tony found on one of the million channels that together Tony and Abby had convinced him he needed. They didn't officially live at his place full time, but they spent more time there than at either of their apartments, so they had decided they needed their creature comforts. Namely, a billion cable channels and high-speed internet.

Once the pizza was polished off and Gibbs could hardly keep his eyes open, he decided it was time for them to head up to bed. If they were lucky, Abby would relax against them in bed. They headed into the master bedroom and stopped when they saw the bed still made.

"What the-" Tony headed across the hall and pushed open the door to the guest bedroom to find Abby curled up on the guest bed sound asleep.

"Shh…" Gibbs peaked over his shoulder to look at Abby. "Give her some space, remember?" He could tell Tony wasn't far from breaking down. Even though his capture had been planned, it had been tough on him. Gibbs would give Abby a night to herself before pulling her aside to tell her that Tony needed her. Hell, they both needed her. She was allowed to be angry, but for now, Tony needed reassurance.

They went through their bedtime routines and climbed into bed. They met in the middle where there usually was an Abby-shaped lump between them.

"I don't think I've ever been so happy to see your discount store mattress," Tony sighed. "And your nubby flannel sheets."

"See? And to think I almost got rid of them because they weren't up to your standards before." Gibbs pulled Tony close so that he was half on his chest.

"Mmm, you still need to upgrade, but for tonight, I won't complain."

Gibbs rolled his eyes and pressed a kiss to the top of Tony's head. "Love you."

"Love you too, boss." Tony tossed a leg over Gibbs'. "I LOVE YOU TOO, ABBY," he shouted.

"DiNozzo!"

"What? You know that once she's out, she hears nothing. And if by chance she does wake up and comes see what's up, then I can grab her and pull her into bed with us."

"You're asking for an ass-kicking, and if you think I'm going to get between you and an upset Abby, you're dumber than I thought." It was a little harsh even though the fact that his arms were wrapped around Tony took away a bit of the sting. But he needed Tony to hold out one night to let Abby deal with her feelings before she was there for Tony.

Tony snuggled in closer and closed his eyes. "I'll just tell her it was you your idea."

Gibbs woke from a nightmare and reached for Tony, sitting up when his hand felt nothing but the mattress. He listened for sounds that Tony was in the bathroom, but heard nothing. Slipping out of bed, Gibbs headed across the hall to check on Abby. The door was open a crack so he nudged it further and smiled at the sight. At some point Tony had crawled in bed with her to spoon up behind her, his arms wrapped tightly around her middle.

The bed was a double; barely big enough for two with the way Tony usually spread out, but Gibbs found himself nudging them closer to the wall to make room. As soon as he was settled, Abby reached across him with her arm and hugged herself close. Gibbs pressed a kiss to her forehead and drifted back to sleep.

As usual, Gibbs was the first to wake. He debated getting up to start the coffee machine, but Abby was half on top of him, and Tony halfway covered her, so there was no way he was getting out of bed without waking them.

It wasn't long before Abby stirred and Gibbs couldn't help but smile when he felt her lips press to his chest.

"I'm glad you're safe," she whispered.

If it wasn't for the fact that he could feel her warm tears against his skin he would've thought her whisper was just because it was early. He opened his mouth to speak, but found he had no words to comfort her. He never thought she would have been allowed in MTAC to listen in on the rescue mission otherwise he would have been more forth-coming with what they had planned. Instead he hugged her tighter as she cried.

He hoped she would be all cried out before Tony woke – he didn't want Tony grappling with the guilt of upsetting Abby, but on the other hand, it would be good for him to see how scared she had been – maybe it would help him realize just how much she loved him. How much they both loved him. He realized it was too late when Tony's arms tightened around Abby's middle as she cried against his chest and then suddenly Tony was reaching for him too, as if he was trying to hug Abby closer to Gibbs – squishing them all together.

"I'm sorry, baby. I never meant for you to be so scared. I never wanted you to worry like that." Tony was pressing kisses to the side of her neck and along her shoulder. "I'm so sorry." Gibbs might not make apologies, but Tony had no problems.

"I know," she sniffled. "And I'm not mad at you," she sniffed again. "Well, okay, I am a little, but I've never been so scared in my life." She shifted under Tony so she could look at him. "When Gibbs exploded, we heard about it after the fact. But for this… I listened to them talk about you having a gun to your head. He could have pulled the trigger at any time. No one was even sure McGee was still alive."

Tony wiped at the tears on her cheeks and leaned in to kiss her softly. "Not gonna lie, it was pretty scary. Especially when he injected me with that… that stuff-"

"Sodium amytal," Abby added.

"I mean, I didn't say anything about the three of us, not that Ziva or McGee were asking any questions relating to my sex life while we were trying to figure an escape."

"There is no proof that it works. Part of it is you believe it makes you tell the truth, but doctors just think it makes a person talk more." Abby ran her fingers through Tony's hair.

"Like he could possibly talk any more than he already does," Gibbs grunted.

"Thanks boss," Tony smiled sweetly and nuzzled his face against Abby's neck, the movement of her fingers in his hair relaxing him.

"Just… just don't scare me like that anymore. Ever."

"I won't."

"I was talking to you, too, Gibbs." Abby glanced at him, accepting his arm tightening around her as his agreement. "And to make it up to me, you can start by coming to bowling this week with the nuns."

"Oh come-" Tony glared at Gibbs over the top of Abby's head when he laughed.

"Hey," she cut him off. "Last night I was ready to take a vow of celibacy and move in with them. The least you guys can do is bowl with us on Wednesday."

"Fine," Tony huffed. "But I want to be on a team with you guys."

"Rosita won't allow it," Gibbs smirked.

"Well, maybe if you actually tried to help me out instead of shove me toward them, it would be different."

Gibbs rolled his eyes and slowly moved away. "This bed is too small, and I slept like shit. I'm making coffee." He sat up and stretched, groaning as his muscles protested and then got up.

"We'll be down shortly." Tony answered and pulled Abby in closer. "I really am sorry."

"I know. You're really okay? You don't feel funny from all that crap?"

"Nah, I'm tired, and my wrists are sore," he pointed out the rope burn from where his wrists had been tied together, "and my lips are dry. Other than that, I'm okay. Just glad to be back."

"Thank you for bringing Ziva home. I… I know things are _tense_ between you two, but… she's part of our family."

"I know." Tony leaned forward and kissed her.

Abby responded and then pushed him away. "We need to find something for your lips, you weren't kidding about them being dry."

"Way to bring that romantic moment to an end."

Abby smiled as she slid out of the covers. "Love you." Before Tony could respond Abby was halfway down the stairs to the kitchen.

* * *

TBC…


End file.
